Crack in the Empire
by Bunpoushihou
Summary: No Summary.
1. Chapter 1

**Warning: This is a fanfic written out of crack boredom mixed with incredulties and haphazardly connecting ideas. **

* * *

_("Kit, I have something to confess to you. One last thing before we go…"_

_"Yeah?" The blond man with spiky hair and a long cloak of flames asked, looking up at the gargantuan fox. They were alone again in the place where they first met. It was just the two of them standing on the peaceful calms of ever-stretching water. Unlike their first meeting, though, they reflected the dark waters that rippled no more. It was an intimate feeling shared alone together — one never to be felt again which made it all the more ephemerally beautiful._

_"That day…" The fox began hesitantly before looking determinedly down at those blue eyes, "I changed your genes. I was angry. And I was… a fox."_

_It was a bit lame. The last excuse, that is, but the man understood what was meant as he looked at his new reflections in the waters to see who he truly was. It didn't surprise him. He had a feeling. And he wasn't mad, surprisingly not at all as he forgave the being of hate with a hug,_

_"I know."_

_Her whole life had been a lie yet a truth and frankly it didn't matter at all as she made the final seals to their last act. Nothing mattered at all in this time and space except their friendship and their trust._

_"You know… I really hate annoying female redheads." Kurama smiled as he began to disappear into soft red glows like firefly orbs in the darkness. It wasn't a smirk or mischievous grin or any other mockingly sarcastic thing that he always gave. No, it was a real smile and that's what made it special. "But I have always, will always love you. Sorry, and thank you, Naru… mi."_

_She couldn't reply with words as her lips formed the new jutsu's name, but her newly purple eyes conveyed the message and that was all Kurama needed to go on with all the love and warmth to make up his isolated days in negative miasma. He felt as if all he was born for was for this moment and thanked Rikudo and the heavens who created him for that._

_And then, they died together, shredding through the illusory world, killing Madara, sealing all that the Jyuubi was into themselves… into the great Tree that they became. The world revitalized under their power, turning the wastelands caused by innumerable wars — both now and of past — into restored biomes capable of life. Energy flowed throughout the world, sending vitality to both life and death._

_The Fourth Shinobi War ended…_

_Heck, even the Shinobi Era ended…_

_But she had faith in all of them that they can survive. They will survive. They were her friends.)_

Three centuries later, the tree flowered one giant fruit. It laid unseen by the world through the leafy veils of the soaring tree that touched even the clouds of the heavens. But it was alive as it trembled and moved, giving birth to a beautiful teenaged girl with long red hair with soft spikes towards the top and mildly well-endowed areas.

Her purple eyes awakened.

She saw the world.

…

The world was always at war. No matter what time period, no matter what proportion of kind people existed all about, there were always evil to balance with the good. In that perspective, it was always evil that triumphed in the end.

Peace was possible, but only in short quantities.

With a lifespan longer than human, she finally understood how their ideal could never be achieved. The eras were like cycles; history was repeated except with different names. It was not futile to fight, but it was not in her place anymore to do it. She was an outsider. She was nature. She had already abandoned her hero's complex, solved her people-saving problem, and ignored her morals since long ago; she was content to be selfish and neutral.

It was a bit sad, but no longer was her comrades, friends, or family alive. She was alone. Even the Bijuu were gone — the Bijuu completely sealed within her and the tree wilting once she left. No, that wasn't completely right. The Bijuu were absorbed into her. All chakra taken by Rikudo's mother (whose name she did not remember) was back within her. Humans still had spirit and chakra, but only as much as they should have — an amount proportional to their bodies like the other animals in the world.

The Shinobi Era was gone. Forever gone.

They seemed to move on well without abundant chakra though. She really had to gaze in wonder at the machines, the technology and weapons mankind came up with after the absence of supernatural powers. Gai would have liked it were he still alive. The humans all used taijutsu and bukijutsu, calling their arts forms of martial arts.

It was interesting, especially when she studied under a master despite being better from war experience in harsher times.

There, she met the first Emperor.

In reality, she actually did help that guy at the very least. She encouraged his beliefs and advised his plans from the shadows. She helped with the creation of the Empire and later the Teigu, fighting monsters they called "Ultra-Class Danger Beasts" for material to work with. Her personal favorite Teigu was Shambhala, which reminded her of her dad's Hiraishin.

There were really 72 Teigus created from the start. Some were destroyed. Some were kept a secret. Some were to be family heirlooms in disguise. 48 became the official number and 500 years later, about half of that number was gone as well.

She didn't really care. Teigus were the weapons of humanity, but they weren't the only ones. As long as they had the weapons called 'heart' and 'will', then she was sure that they would all be alright. For herself, well, she already came eye to eye with the fact that she was always going to be overpowered.

...well, maybe not in strength, for she had yet to age from her body despite the passing centuries since her birth. Her body always remained static in the end no matter what she did, but with how she was always going to be strong with chakra and fast with speed, she guessed it was alright. No one could get as much experience in fighting as her anyways.

Loneliness never hit her hard as she made acquaintances along the road while traveling everywhere without destination. She never even thought about it, done with that people-obsession from her child days. Or so she had thought until she met her.

She was a beautiful woman with long blue hair and a headband with a cross insignia. Emune was part of the Partas Clan in the North, a hunting tribe specializing in taking down Danger Beasts. Emune taught her that she still had emotions — she still was human despite it all. She gave her a home with their little tribe, convincing them to let her stay. The redhead had helped with their hunts, increasing their quotas and dying the floor red like her hair.

The young handsome tribe leader was still nice back then; he still had his ideals and optimism despite his gruesome work. She rejected him once, but he paid it no mind — his real love was her, Emune. And they did get together. That was where all his carefree joy left. Emune was killed by an Ultra-Class Danger Beast when they were away for a hunt. Too much time passed and she couldn't save her even with jutsu. The daughter though was still alive and when she was going to help the girl out… it was him who pushed her with those dead eyes and cut his own wife open to take his baby out.

He broke.

"Are you alright?" She gazed up when the man grabbed her arms, pinning them above her. He was her close friend in her time's stay and she was an immortal with long lonely years so she guessed that she didn't mind, even if the man already had a daughter. A teasing smile momentarily lit her lips, "You shouldn't do this. What if I get pregnant?"

The man groped her chest. It wasn't as big as the mature woman that was his wife, but it was still quite developed and well-shaped for a forever-teenager like her. Throughout the years, her emotions and sensitivity never seemed to change as she gasped in pleasure like a virgin. A virgin whore probably. He merely ripped the clothes obstructing him, gazing down at the beauty that he have always admired before Emune. Even now, he still admired her but rather purely for her strength. Not physical — the girl didn't have any muscles with that lean, lithe frame of hers. He guessed that was the fault of being immortal. But… He gazed at those purple eyes.

She didn't break yet.

And probably never will even if tortured like the Danger Beasts, the people in the Capital. Even if she was raped by a close friend, who already married a woman that was like her own sister-figure, as he was now. She never will. He was always jealous of that, but he didn't want it. Not after today. Even after he learned his lesson… not after today.

"If you get pregnant, then you will give birth to the strongest child. There is no greater honor than that in this world where only the strongest can win."

Her eyes flickered with amusement, but she accepted his advances this time. He didn't know why he felt something so horrible in his chest, something so harrowing. But after he finally fully connected with the girl that was his dream, he felt so warm and embraced and forgiven. They hugged each other that night Emune died. He cried from the overwhelming pleasure, the kind eyes, and maybe something more.

Emune was gone.

After he calmed down from the ecstatic bursts, he gazed down at her marked body, hugging it tightly against his frame, not even wanting to pull out yet. "...Narumi, are you leaving?" They both knew that it would eventually happen. They both knew the inevitable and that nothing he did changed her mind. Even now. She nodded,

"I will." But added, "I will stay for the girl until she grows up however. With Emune gone, your tribe will need more hunters. This time, I will be with the women."

He finally cracked a smile, "You are a woman. A girl in body, but always a woman at heart. Raise Esdese into a strong girl, Narumi."

"...of course, Partos."

…

"Wah! You're right, Naru-sensei~! It is easier to stab like this~"

The redhead smiled at her little student, patting her head. The blue-head beamed at the gentle touch. Though her mother was different, she always viewed Narumi to be her mother and her child to be her brother — both of them fully hers along with her father. Her real mother was too weak if she died so easily; that was what her father told her and he had to be right~

Esdese playfully waved her sword, jabbing towards the little four year old; her blade a millimeter away from the toddler's head. The girl pulled back, laughing,

"I have more control too~!" Esdese patted the other's head; admiring the fluffy red spikes and the blue-grey eyes of her little brother. The deep colored orbs reminded her of her father's except they were brighter and more vibrant than her father's dull ones. She loved them. They were always focused on her during practice; they made her feel strong. Akoumi (Red Sea) was her precious most adorable little brother! "Akoumi is a good boy, trusting his big sister to not hit him~"

Narumi watched as the girl glomped her child; their child born from that one night stand. She could read the child's emotions, but didn't know what to make of it. Fear. There was fear in Akoumi of his own (half) older sibling. Deciding to save the kid, she plucked him out of her hands into her own arms, high above the girl.

"Now, now, I think it's time for the big sister to train to get stronger before she can make claims to protect her little brother."

Esdese pouted, but stabbed the air above her, "Hai, Naru-sensei~!" She laughed as she ran away from said woman's teasing push forward, turning back to the kid at a safe distance away, "Just watch, Akoumi, Naru-sensei! I'm going to become the strongest person in the world!"

"Hai, hai."

"It's true!" The girl blushed at her sensei's disbelief and then at her confident,

"I know."

…

"Eeeh~? You're leaving?" Esdese drooped, hugging her mother figure tightly. But in the end, her mother figure was only a mother figure and not her real mother. Narumi nodded, patting her son's head; the little boy already packed up as well with his things tied to his back in a bundle.

"We are, Esdese." She confirmed, giving the girl a firm hug, "I stayed too long. It's time for me to wander as always. It's been nice taking care of you~" She patted her precious little student on the head with a warm smile that captivated the girl as always as she stared up at her mother's beautiful face, "Remember to take care of those close to you as well~"

"Mm!"

Partos smiled, giving the woman a hug as well, "It's been nice knowing you, Narumi. May your son grow up to become a strong boy."

Esdese and Narumi whacked him lightly, "Our son!"

He blinked and then laughed boisterously, correcting himself while giving the boy a pat on the head as well, gazing into those grey stained blue eyes that reminded him of himself once upon a time, "Our son. Become a strong man, Akoumi."

The kid nodded with his composed gaze as always. Esdese glomped him one last time,

"I'll miss you, but I know it won't be the last time we meet. Stay awesome, Akoumi~"

"Mm, Esdese."

Though it was their last meeting, the silent boy's words surprised them all. They never heard him speak much; the little guy stoic as his father, calm like his mother. Esdese beamed as she glomped him tighter before letting go; her gaze turned distant as she watched them walk South, away from home. Partos took out his arrow after seeing their figures disappear into the horizon,

"Well, then. Narumi taught you how to fight, right?" She nodded and he grinned, "Jya, I'll teach you how to hunt. It'll be fun!"

"Mm, Father!" She beamed as she took out her sword. "Should I call you sensei now too?" She laughed as she asked. Her father gave a small smile,

"No. You are your own woman now. Don't call anyone sensei or master or anything anymore — you are strong and you will become strongest."

She gazed at the tall man in wonder and awe before nodding, "Yeah!"

And so they left.

At first, she hated the screams and blood, but it was the creed of the world, right?

The strongest wins; the weak perish.

That was nature's law. Always.

…

Narumi didn't comment when her son became much more relaxed and happy once leaving the Partas Clan. As always, she only watched and taught the kid to become strong. She only watched and guided the kid who saw the new reality of the Empire. She only watched and smiled as they traveled together across the world, even outside of the Continent.

Finally, the day came when she decided to leave. Akoumi wasn't surprised at all, having lived as if each day together was their last,

"You're leaving."

It wasn't even a question. They both gazed at each other and she nodded, "Yes. It's time for you to make a name for yourself — to live your life and whatever you do, do it the best."

"Yeah." He nodded with a smile. He was eighteen now and he couldn't wait to be independent and free — and destroy that Empire. He knew that his mother wouldn't help. She was always neutral about most things. It was natural; he could understand her because she was immortal. While he grew, she stayed and now he was about the same age as she physically was.

What he couldn't understand was his sister.

Despite being on another continent, they still heard news of her accomplishments and feats. It was amazing as it was horrifying. And after seeing everything, there was just something wrong with that Empire and her. He wanted to change it, destroy it and rebuild it anew. His home. His blood. His fists clenched because that was the one thing he couldn't be carefree about. He gazed up at his mother,

"I will kill her."

"Maybe." She answered; her eyes softened and voice became a whisper. He already turned around and left. His resolve wasn't going to waver anytime soon.

People of her blood don't do things half-assed or incompleted. This time, she really couldn't see the future though. Because though not her blood, Esdese was her daughter as well.

With that, she left from the spot as well.


	2. Chapter 2

"Demon's Extract. You have ice powers now, Esdese."

The Three Beasts all whipped around, grabbing their weapons at the intruder they couldn't sense. Esdese's eyes widened as she glomped the now smaller woman, beaming,

"Narumi!" She laughed happily, not even questioning how the other managed to get into the palace undetected and unharmed. Narumi was always strong — Father always said so and she always believed it; even now when she could feel her own grip become strong enough to break the other's lithe frame. Narumi was always the strongest.

While she was going to be the strongest _human_~

"You're back~! Is Akoumi here too?" Esdese whipped her head up, looking around to see no redhaired boy. She pouted, but understood, "So Narumi's the type to leave her own children too~"

"Everyone and everything, Esdese." Narumi smiled faintly before wondering, "What happened to the Partas Clan?"

"Oh, they died." Esdese nonchalantly said as if the clan weren't her own family, "They were killed by a tribe in the North."

"Sou ka." Narumi took in the information, allowing her eyes to darken momentarily for the clan that took care of her for years before, too, moving on. "Are you alright?"

The general allowed the woman to touch her face, closing her eyes at the gentle warmth and enjoying the feeling that she knew not the name. Always, like her mother. She held the fragile hands softly against her white skin, "Of course. Sure, I mourned for my Father, but that, too, was just because he was weak…"

"I see. Then Esdese's the type to be full of compassion yet always lacking mercy."

The woman repeated the words under her breath before beaming, "Yes! As expected of Narumi to always understand me~!" Releasing their hold on each other, she took the other's hand, "How long are you going to stay in the Capital?" Since there was no question that she would leave.

"At least a month." Esdese's eyes widened.

"Jyaa~ I'll show you around~!" Finally glancing at her stunned subordinates, she introduced, "This is Narumi! She's like my mother and teacher so I expect you all to treat her well~"

River was the first to speak as he bowed like a butler, "Of course, Esdese-sama. My name is River, Narumi."

Purple eyes caught the ring on his middle finger, noting it to be Black Marlin.

"Nyau~!" The boy replied cutely with recorder in hand. Scream, her memory served her. Finally, the big man sheepishly rubbed the back of his neck as if not knowing how to treat someone higher than him.

"Daidara."

Belvaac was the name of his double bladed axe. Each of them had Teigu. She let her lips teasingly curl up before dropping as she spoke the truth,

"Weak."

Esdese laughed at her incensed boys; each of them glaring at the small woman who seemed like she couldn't talk about strength. Waving the fights away for next time though, she pulled the woman out, "Come on, Narumi, let's go tour around the Capital! I'll show you to the Emperor so you can get a place to stay as well~"

"What?" Narumi's gaze too flickered off the men, making them more angry that they were so easily ignored. None of them made a move towards her though, out of respect for Esdese who seemed to be the happiest they ever saw her. "You don't have to…"

"Nonsense! Narumi only deserves the best of places to stay!"

They left. Nyau pouted angrily, "I don't like her."

Though River's own brow was twitching (he was a former general for Heaven's sake!), he spoke respectfully,

"Don't be like that, Nyau. As long as Esdese-sama's happy…" He added as an afterthought, "And she must be strong or wise to be Esdese-sama's teacher… once upon a time." He vindictively added. Daidara, though mad, gazed at the door,

"That reminds me. How did she get in here unnoticed?"

"...!" The three remembered how they didn't sense her at all and rushed to the doors. They saw Budou's personal guards and even palace soldiers — even the traps were all still there untouched. Nyau gulped,

"Impossible…"

Just the feat was indescribable. The Palace's defense was supposed to be impenetrable even by Budo and Esdese-sama! That's why no Revolutionaries could even dare hope to barge in! River drew a long drawl of breath,

"Amazing…"

For the second time in the world, the former general was enraptured by a woman. It didn't help when he remembered that both of them looked like goddesses together with their priceless laughs. He recalled his own words and then her's.

"So this is Esdese-sama's teacher… Her mother-figure…"

"Looks very young though." Daidara spoke, snapping them out of their thoughts again. They stared up at the musclehead who thought nothing but battles. Nyau spoke cautiously,

"Must be the end of the world, eh, River?"

"Aye." The man spoke, fixing his coat's collar, "In the meantime, I should cook a feast to celebrate."

"Nya!" "Guah!" Both Nyau and Daidara shouted in horror before proceeding to discourage the General from cooking his awful monstrosities called 'food'.

…

"What's this I hear about a girl sneaking into the Palace I guard?"

"When you say it like that, it sounds like it's _your _Palace~" Narumi laughed amiably at the Great General's glare, standing nonchalantly despite the enormous killing intent that managed to make Esdese sweat (though it be a tiny thing). She introduced herself, extending a hand, "My name's Narumi. I mean no harm."

The Great General gazed at her warily, recognizing the girl's strength before grunting when he saw her honest eyes. With Esdese with her, the story was all the more probable and he wanted to lay no blood within the Palace's walls. "My name is Budou." Shaking the hand firmly, he crushed the bones within in his tight grip, blinking that he could accomplish such a thing so easily with a girl who held herself against his pure unrestrained aura and that the girl didn't react at all from her grinded bones. Esdese didn't as well as she openly laughed, teasingly poking the girl's soft cheek,

"Weak as always, Narumi~ You shouldn't have given your hand to the Old Geezer~ He knows nothing about restraint."

Before Budou could comment sarcastically back to the other general, the girl too laughed, slipping her hand out of his grip to hold it behind her head as she let out peals of giggles,

"Whoops, I didn't think you wanted that kind of handshake, Budou~" She moved the hand to across her chest where she crossed her arms, "But really now, a man of your strength and honor should know better than to treat a girl like that."

His eyes gazed in amazement as the hand was back to its former state in an instant. Unable to help himself, he touched the hand to feel all the bones and muscles back to normal — nothing an illusion; everything freakishly real.

"High speed regeneration… Not bad. It still does not excuse you from my question."

Still, his attention was caught and he examined the girl in a new light. The redhead seemed to be younger than Esdese; her frame more lithe and fragile. Her eyes were a majestic purple, enchanting like a demon's yet soft like a mother's. It was bright with a mischievous light. The air around the girl was natural: soothing like a forest, breathable like air.

"Awww, Budou, you know it's not much of a question. Besides, a woman needs some mystery behind her, don't you think? Let's just say that I walked in here."

The man scoffed, but accepted the answer, knowing that it was the most he was going to get. He had seen thousands tortured and dead, and this was the first time he saw someone who could possibly not crack under anything that the world could offer — no sin, no evil, no torture, no death. It was as if she was a ghost — existing yet unaffected by anything. It was an enigma; it was no wonder why Esdese would allow the girl to walk by her despite appearing so weak, even being weak enough to be crushed so easily by his hand.

"You say that you mean no harm yet where are you going?"

"Eh?" Esdese blinked, "Isn't it obvious that we're headed towards the Emperor's Room?"

Both of them knew that it was rhetoric or rather all of them knew once Narumi found out where her daughter-figure was taking her. Narumi waved her hands,

"Wait. No. I really mean it, Esdese, you shouldn't—"

"Nonsense, Narumi~ I really mean it too when I say that you deserve the best of places to stay. His Majesty is very generous~"

"Ahem." The general coughed to get the girls' attention before they go squealing in whatever land happy girls go to, "Might I ask why… Narumi deserves a room at the Palace?"

"Because she's Narumi!" Esdese glomped the girl who was now smaller than her, "She's like my mother. She was my teacher. And she—"

"Eh~?! Really?!"

They gazed to the side to see Emperor Makoto and the Prime Minister in the hallway as well. Emperor Makoto's eyes lit up in amazement while Budou and Esdese knelt to their superior,

"Your Majesty."

Makoto cheerily danced around them, "Never mind that~" He laughed while taking both of the teen's hands and beaming at the beauty before him, "You were General Esdese's teacher?! Amazing! And so young too!"

Narumi smiled, "I'm older than I look, Emperor~"

"Makoto! Call me Makoto!"

"Wait a min—" The Prime Minister began, but was cut off by Makoto as the boy shouted,

"Can you teach me too?!"

"..." All stared at the boy, knowing the implications of his words. To be taught by Esdese's teacher meant that he wanted to be as strong as her. But to achieve that strength was — Narumi knelt down to the boy's height, placing both her hands on his shoulders to gaze into his eyes,

"To be strong, one has to suffer a lot, Emperor Makoto. They have to experience all sorts of things and they have to fight as if to survive. There are no shortcuts to strength. There is no sheltering from pain. Training and fighting is not as idealistic as it sounds. It's a hell that though some love, is horrid for many, many others."

"...I understand. As an Emperor however, shouldn't I understand the suffering of my people and my soldiers?"

"That is true, however, you must know that there are people who will not carry a bloody altar. There are also people who do not want a dirtied Emperor of sweat and grime. Like everything, there are pros and cons to the decisions of the world."

"Then I make my decision as Emperor of this Empire." He stood tall determinedly, "I will have you teach me." Before anyone could reply, he added, "And it will be a secret to the people, to everyone that has not heard now."

"..." She smiled, "Maa, an Emperor is ordering me." She rubbed her head, "I'm just a traveler, but I guess I can teach you, Your Majesty~ Your resolve is quite stunning."

The boy laughed, "Thanks, Narumi!"

"Is this really wise, Makoto?" The Prime Minister hurriedly asked, worried that this new Wild Card was going to ruin his reign. "Can we even trust her?"

Esdese's eyes narrowed to icy slits, "Are you insinuating that—"

"No!" The fat man almost shrieked at the killer sight. Esdese calmed before glomping Narumi,

"Yatta~ You're staying longer than a month then~"

"Eh, you weren't planning to?" Makoto asked, feeling a bit imposing. She smiled,

"It's alright~ I'm free anyways~"

Budou eyed her, but felt it was redeeming of the Emperor to want to learn the art of the sword to understand the suffering of his people. With this, he knew now that the only one he had to kill after destroying the Revolutionary Army were the Prime Minister and his supporters. Then, the honor of the Empire could be restored as well as his lineage.

"I am honored to serve such a thoughtful Emperor, Your Majesty. I wish you great luck."

Makoto beamed at the praise from his most stoic soldier and nodded. The Prime Minister mentally growled at the events, but could do nothing with the three strongest in agreement; this new girl had the backing of the Great General, sadistic General, and Emperor himself. He couldn't make an explicit move.

…

"Damn you're strong, Akoumi!" Braht shouted. For once, he was the one lying on the ground defeated while the redhead stood straight like an immovable mountain. Akoumi smiled,

"You weren't bad yourself, Braht. I never thought that I'd feel such a challenge from someone other than my sister or teacher. Now I see that I was arrogant and still have much training to do." More like, he finally understood that rather than teach him everything, Narumi wanted him to experience fights with more people and come up with his own style of fighting. Reaching down, he grabbed Braht's hand pulling him back to his feet. From atop the hill underneath the large tree, the others were watching on their picnic blanket.

Najenda grinned at the newcomer's strength, gaining new hope that someone may match Esdese in the future. Rabac whistled at the extreme fight. Schere and Mein both had watched in awe, clenching their fists as they now knew that they needed to improve with how behind they were in strength. Leone's hair as well bristled at the strength beyond her level though she hummed appreciatively at Braht's now spiky hair and Akoumi's tight abs. Damn, the new guy was hot… And Akame's eyes glinted with interest. The guy was also proficient with a sword and fighting. She wanted to try a spar.

The Revolutionary Army gained one man and became many times stronger.

Akoumi smiled at his new friends, having made none due to all the traveling he did years prior with his mother.

…

"T-thank you." Makoto finally spoke after panting with all the exercise he did. He was lucky that he was still young and could develop every good muscle still and had little fat to burn off. Still, she really wasn't going easy on him. The Emperor appreciated it though — everyone at the Palace were too nice to him, kissing up or mindful of his position. Narumi, however, treated him as a human being, an individual and she never hid anything from him, no matter how morbid.

She was like an older sister — even a mother. Makoto finally understood why Esdese who he never knew as anything other than a sadist despising the weak would think of her as a mother. Narumi was just so gentle and kind — yet at the same time strict and energetic. She gave him everything — motivations and despairs, scoldings and praises, presents and penalties… She made him feel like a normal son. And it was a surprisingly nice feeling.

The Emperor really appreciated her ability to heal the most though. That green glow around her hands that healed what he thought would scar him into its former state of smooth skin. It allowed him to continue working and saving face as well as act strong to the Prime Minister who he considered as his father. The dimension was nice too. He didn't know how she did it without a Teigu, but she did and made a separate dimension where a day in here was a hour in the real world. It 'saved him' a lot of time, giving him a better chance at catching up to his soldiers and Esdese and Budou… though sometimes he wondered with a sweatdrop if he could ever surpass those two overpowered generals of his.

"No problem, Emperor." Her usage of that name was more of a nickname than a title. Despite him telling her to call him Makoto, she still persisted with it. "Want to go back yet?"

"No! I'm sure I can fight still!"

She gave that entrancing smile as always, "Alright. Don't push yourself too hard."

"Me? No way! This is more fun than sitting on a throne all day!" And it was true. Fighting — pushing oneself past your limits was one of the funnest things he ever did. He didn't know what he was doing with his life, just staying content with his weak body and sitting on that chair for almost 24/7. He actually felt a million times stronger after doing this than when he was just an Emperor.

"Hai, hai, then I think you can do a thousand more laps."

He gulped.

Well… many times, he wondered why he was torturing himself as well.

…

"Again!"

"Are you sure, Schere?"

"Yes, Akoumi, let's do it again!"

The redhead frowned, but fell into stance again. Schere as well as she grabbed those large scissors of hers. They were about to attack each other, but Schere fell at the knees, feeling weak as she panted and sweated. At times like these, Akoumi wished his mother would teach him how she did the supernatural things he knew she could do or that he at least could convince her to join him.

"Schere!"

The girl panted as she cried, punching the ground with her fist, "I'm so weak! I always thought that I could be useful and protect everyone, but—"

Akoumi's grey stained blue eyes widened as he finally understood why the normally peaceful girl asked him to spar with her. He wrapped his arms around her, murmuring, "You are strong, Schere. Many times stronger than almost everyone I know."

"But I — I'm not as strong as you!"

He froze. Was that what this was? He never knew that his power could bring as much anguish to his allies as joy; never even knew that they could. He released his hold to stare at her purple eyes, slowly speaking, "Schere. I'm not strong."

"You—"

"I'm not strong!" He shouted, stopping her protest, as he spoke, "I became strong! I trained to fight ever since I was born, Schere. I still train everyday. I would be heart-broken if I was still weak after all that. Understand? Schere only started fighting since recently. Yet you accomplished more things than I ever did in a year or two. You had a late start yet you grow so fast. Schere's one of the strongest people I ever known because of that. You're strong, Schere. And with more training, more experiences, I'm sure that you can beat me one day… if I let you do it." He added cheekily, making her push him while laughing,

"You're so arrogant, Akoumi! But…" She smiled. No one ever told her that she was strong before, "Thanks."

"Jya, shall we train again another day?"

"Tomorrow." She corrected as she weakly stood up. Akoumi helped her and they made their ways to headquarters to rest the day off. Schere smiled, "One day, I will defeat you, Akoumi. You are going to try your hardest, but I will be the best at the best thing I can do."

"...maybe." He felt like his mother when he said that, but now he understood the uncertainties of the future. Maybe he'll lose against his sister. Maybe Schere really will defeat him. Maybe the Empire can't be beaten… but none of it mattered as much as the present, where he could change everything and kill even fate.

…

"So we're finally going to fight against each other~" Nyau smirked as he twirled his recorder. Besides him, Daidara cracked his knuckles and River flexed his fingers. Many gathered to watch, terribly curious when they heard that the Three Beasts were going to fight a girl. Even the Prime Minister, Great General Budou, and Emperor were watching though at higher ground. The Prime Minister hoped that the Three Beasts could kill her. His fists clenched as he remembered all the offers that Narumi denied and her state of neutrality against his corruption.

She may be neutral, but she was dangerous and had that damn feeling of good within her.

Daidara heaved his axe, pointing it at her, "I want fighting experience points in order to become the strongest."

River grinned, hiding his vexed state as their first meeting repeated in his head. One week passed, but he still felt annoyed that a little teenager told him that he was weak — him a former general! He knew that he shouldn't judge people by appearance, but still!

"Esdese-sama, we're allowed to go all out, right?" Esdese laughed as she rested her head on her palm, staring at her men in amusement. They didn't know how badly they were going to lose,

"Of course. Do whatever you want; skinning, torture, killing. If she loses, then it was simply because she was too weak."

The three boys snickered evilly, making the normal soldiers back away. Nyau, especially, liked the confirmation, having always loved the new girl's face. The skin was very smooth and pretty…

Great General Budou eyed his Emperor, who seemed to not worry at all at the new orders as he hummed with interest at the fight. Finally, Esdese threw her hat in the air. Each of them watched as it flew down slowly… before touching the ground.

"Hahaha, we'll wi…" Metal touched the smallest's neck and he froze in his charge forward, "...n?"

Narumi smiled, ruffling Nyau's hair as if he was only a little kid. He slowly turned his head to see her give a teasing smile as she leaned forward to whisper quite loudly in his ear, "I wouldn't go claiming things too fast, little one~"

"No way… River! Daidara!" Nyau shouted for backup only to get no response. Narumi had the greatest pleasure of turning him around so he could see River's and Daidara's surprised looks as they were entangled in rope. "When?!"

"Now."

"But, but, but that's impossible! No one can be that fast!"

Esdese smiled at the sheer surprise of everyone. She could bet that the old geezer didn't see it either if she hadn't. As expected of her teacher, "No one except Narumi, right?"

"Yup~!" The redhead beamed as she threw two kunais, undoing the tight ropes with well-placed shots. She let go of the little kid as well. Meanwhile, the general picked up her hat as she placed it back on her head, tilting it down so that it shadowed her eyes,

"As winner, you have the right to discipline them, Narumi."

The Three Beasts had a bad feeling as the redhead's grin grew to slasher levels. Loud screams were heard that day.

By the end, Budou hummed at the interesting new training methods he learned. The Prime Minister was more nervous than ever at the show of strength from the teenaged-appearing girl. The soldiers feared for their lives, knowing that their training instructors and generals saw and were likely to try it to 'whip them in shape'. The Emperor laughed at their fate. While the Three Beasts collapsed on the dirt ground, unable to move or feel a muscle after doing the most strenuous regimen they ever knew.

Esdese smiled.

Now, the Three Beasts had no doubt that she was Esdese-sama's mother-figure and teacher. Though the others who didn't know that, wondered who the girl was, having not seen her before today. They all shared the same thought though; those who knew her and those who did not…

"E-evil…"

…

Najenda eyed her steadily growing group of strong comrades. Akoumi was a good influence, showing them the need to train even despite their current strength. It was a bit troubling in the past since the Night Raid thought that they could defeat anything, having never suffered a decisive lost. Now, however, they met a person who could beat all of them to the ground with a punch and trained harder than ever to defeat that guy.

She too trained despite her prosthetic arm.

Sometimes, she wondered who the guy's master was. Who taught him? Where did he come from?

"Why are you fighting against the Empire, Akoumi?" Rabac asked over dinner, "Don't you think it's a little unfair since you know my story?"

Najenda smiled at his story. Rabac had followed her to the Revolutionary Army. Akoumi blinked before wondering,

"Do I really need a reason?"

"Of course you do! Even Braht has a reason to hate the Empire!"

Braht's superior refused bribes from the Prime Minister and was imprisoned for a crime not his. All of them had reasons actually. Mein wanted to end discrimination, being a foreigner herself. Schere wanted to be useful and dispose the corrupt. Akame wanted to end the Empire after seeing many crimes that the Empire did and for drugging her sister. She realized how corrupt the regime was and wanted to end it. Leone was scouted after saving slum children from nobles. Akoumi was pretty much the only one who wasn't scouted or who didn't have a past with the Imperial Army.

The redhead blinked as he contemplated; the piece of steak on his fork forgotten until he finally answered. "I just think that there's something really wrong with the Empire, that's all. I traveled with my mother around the world and this one's the only one that supports corruption and torture to such states…" He remembered his sister. "There's fear in the people and I want to slice through it." Especially his own fear.

Rabac pouted, "Come on, Akoumi~ I know there's something more!"

"Nope, that's all."

"Akoumi~"

"Stop, just stop, Rabac." Mein deadpanned though she too could sense something as well.

…

"You're leaving?!" Emperor Makoto shouted in shock. Almost a year has gone and the girl was seen once again packing her things.

"I am."

"But — You can't leave! I haven't finished my training! And and I don't want you to!"

Narumi smiled as she patted his head, "We may meet in the future once again, Makoto. I have taught you everything you need to know and now it's up to you to walk the path as a strong, independent Emperor. Train hard, fight hard, live hard. I will always be proud of you and now it's time for me to walk my own path."

"Naru—"

Tears fell out of his eyes as the girl disappeared, fast as ever. He fell on to her bed, clenching the smooth sheets in bundles with his now strong grip.

"You're so mean, Narumi… Only saying my name now…"

…

"I heard that you left already." Once entering his room, the man glanced to the side at the girl sitting on his bed. She laughed,

"I thought you might want to know, Budou-chan~"

During her (almost) year's stay, the two had fought together — or better said as trained together in that other dimension of hers. It was fun as it was challenging — two feelings he never had in such a long time with his strength and position. Though the girl was annoying, she was strong as she was relaxing. Yes… He could relax with her. Though it did not matter just as whether she was going to stay or not.

"I do not. Now go leave."

"Haaaiii," She playfully said, about to disappear until a hand grabbed her arm. Or maybe it did matter. The Great General gazed at her purple eyes,

"Will you stay if I asked you to?"

"No." She replied truthfully. He knew the answer and pushed the disappearing girl into the jar she had yet to take from his room. It was the jar containing the other dimension, where they could always release their strength and stress without a care in the world. It was a jar where one hour could become one day though you were forced to stay inside for the first hour.

It worked in his favor that way though.

"Let's fight."

"...alright." She answered, already getting out her little 'kunai' dagger. Her brow arched, but they fought and with everything removed in the heat of destruction as he used his Teigu, they did it.

She still left. With the jar as well.

He only shook his head albeit he smiled at the carefree girl's nature.

…

"There's nothing stopping you."

"Nothing."

"Jya, have fun, Narumi."

"You too, Esdese."

That was all that was needed between the two as they hugged each other again. Esdese was sad that her family was leaving again, but that was how that woman was. She was still sure that they would meet again.

…

"I said that yet I'm still here in the Capital." Narumi noted as she walked through the streets in her 'Naruto' disguise. Using Henge to look like her old self made her laugh. Especially when she knew now that it was Kurama messing with her parents and her, making her a guy appearing like her father except with a derpy look and whiskers. It was a well done prank and trick that she felt no bad feelings between them.

It couldn't be helped with Kurama's hatred of the world at the time. She was glad that the fox was able to die happy though. Idly, she wondered if she was ever going to die happily. Then again, if she was to die, then something like the tree bearing the chakra fruit or the Jyuubi would appear since she had all the Shinobi Era's chakra within her.

Narumi gazed at the clothing store holding clothes for pregnant women. Ah. She remembered. Being one with nature and full of life energy, she was more than fertile. Just doing it once gave her children… but it couldn't be helped. He wanted to, she felt his emotions and felt more urge to, and well… she was a hormonal immortal teen. And when she did it, she felt lazy and couldn't travel as much, making her stay in one place.

It was hardly a setback for her though. She could travel anywhere she want and she had all the time in the world and… The Capital was an interesting place with the people with potential and conflict gathered all around.

Her gaze drifted to the pictures of the Night Raid.

It was them against the Empire. Elemental Nations against Madara. Her fight was over a long time ago and now it was her son's and daughter's turn.

…

"Ufu. That's some survival intent."

She murmured as she gazed up at the moon, hearing more screams but two quieter ones. They were dignified and strong in intensity, attracting her attention the most. They were greater for they were screams for others rather than oneself even in the face of torture. And despite having a round stomach, she decided to check the two out as a reward for garnering her hard-won attention. It takes a lot of resolve to do that.

The screams decreased as she arrived at the loud place. It was empty. Narumi could tell that even the torturers were gone — all still except for one solid sound. It was so quiet and weak that she wouldn't have believed it if she were a normal person who hadn't saw the Shinobi Era and knew that people lived a lot longer than their dead bodies.

Red chakra filled the area until all was black except for a single campfire in the middle of nowhere. Two children sat near it, talking about their deaths and how cool they were. She smiled,

"If you two liked your deaths, then I guess you wouldn't mind staying dead, right?"

The two jumped, taking out imaginary weapons, making her laugh. There were no weapons in limbo. They had strong wills and motivations for not passing on yet like the others in the shack of death.

"Who are you?" The boy with black spiky hair shouted, making her smile as she held her gestating stomach,

"I am Narumi. You two?"

They glanced at each other before warily answering, "Ieyasu."

"Sayo."

She nodded in approval. Strong name for strong children. These two weren't meant to die yet. Perhaps fate wanted to make a member of good stronger, but these two were not meant to be the ones. They died before their time; her eyes that saw centuries as a sage's could tell.

"Do you two wish to live?"

"What do you mean? We both already died." Sayo frowned at the odd woman. Narumi smiled,

"You haven't. Almost, but this is the place between life and death." At their disbelieving stares, she gestured, "When people are sick, they come here. When people are recently dead, they come here. But those who know that they are here — those who are truly here awake and conscious are those who are strong-minded. Both of you can still live as strong children with unawakened potential. Think of you two as the ill patients and I as a doctor and this place would make more sense. You aren't dead yet."

They repeated the sentence in awe. Ieyasu shook Sayo, tears appearing in his eyes, "You aren't dead yet, Sayo! That fucking girl didn't win at all and you… you can survive!"

Sayo hugged her childhood friend as well, legs feeling weak as she cried, "You too! You're still alive! You can still be saved and become the famous Ieyasu-sama and save our village! What we trained for — it wasn't all a waste!"

Narumi's lips curled higher. They didn't think of themselves first once hearing that they weren't dead yet. If anything, that got her respect the most. The selflessness… They truly were innocent children untainted by the Capital or at least fully so.

"You have six hours." She could tell by the rate that the darkness was approaching the campfire light. "If you want to survive, however, I want you two to work for me for two years. You can not speak or write or communicate in any form to anyone about me and everything that happened here in limbo is a secret that you can not tell anyone even your friends and family. If you promise me that, then I promise to heal you both fully and treat you fairly as employees."

Both gazed at her warily once again. She guessed it was to be expected, especially as the smarter looking one stared at her,

"We have just been tortured and killed by someone who we trusted. They invited us to their home and gave us food. There were drugs in the food. She was a girl who seemed innocent. Is there a guarantee that we can trust you?"

"No." Narumi admitted, "There is no guarantee. However, if you dislike me, then you can always kill the baby within me." Their eyes widened, attracted to the round lump of her stomach. "I believe that there is no one other than me that can take you out of limbo so this decision you make within six hours is for life. Whatever you choose is up to you. I just offer a choice, a possibility that can be taken."

Their eyes widened once again and Ieyasu pounded his chest with a fist, "I'll take it."

"Ieyasu—"

"I promise to never mention this limbo thing and you to anyone ever, even if my best friend Tatsumi asks! I will be your worker, servant, or slave for two years. Just save Sayo first please."

"...Ieyasu…" Sayo stared, touched by the boy's request. Before they even went to the Capital, she always thought that he was just a monkey — an overbearing, selfish idiot. To think that she would only learn this side of him in death. She closed her eyes before determinedly opening them and placing a hand over her heart as well, "I promise to never mention you or anything about limbo to anyone ever, even if Tatsumi or the village chief asks. I will be your worker, anything, for two years so please help Ieyasu."

She approached them with an embrace, green light glowing from her body and shredding through the darkness,

"Then I promise to treat you as my employees, as my beloved children."

They didn't have time to react or anything as everything turned bright with warmth and energy. All they knew was that they felt safe in that strange woman's embrace.


	3. Chapter 3

Sayo woke up with a gasp, staring at her homely surroundings in confusion before remembering all the events that had come to pass. Immediately, she moved to whip off her sheets, but found that she didn't have to as Ieyasu stared at her two intact legs in utter relief. She sighed as she saw fat tears fall down the smooth, unblemished skin of the village idiot,

"You idiot. Why are you crying?"

"Th-that's what I should be saying to you," He tried wiping his tears, but they just wouldn't go away, "This great Ieyasu-sama doesn't cry…"

She laughed in her tears; both of them hugging each other at the same time. "I can't believe you actually woke up earlier than me, you oversleeping monkey… alive oversleeping monkey…"

"You too, you stupid perfectionist…" He laughed, "We're alive… It's as if it's a dream…"

The black haired girl nodded as she wiped her tears and looked around the room, "But it's not. I don't remember this room. Tatsumi's still not here and I will never forget."

"...me neither." Ieyasu's hands clenched before he stood, gazing at his new clothes. He still had his dark brown pants (now washed), but instead of the coat and shirt he left the village with, he had a long black parka with dark orange shirt. Sayo wore a similar parka with a blue kimono top and black pants underneath.

They both glanced at the door hesitantly before nodding and opening it on three. The smell of food was welcoming to their noses as they hungrily rushed only to stop at the feast. It reminded them of their first time eating a stranger's meals. They gulped. Their stomachs growled uncontrollably at the smell of good food. On the other hand, their minds were still traumatized with that one memory. Sayo spoke,

"I'll eat first. Maybe I can recognize some of the poisons."

"No. I'll eat first, Sayo. An idiot like me has a great iron stomach."

"Really, Ieyasu. I should do it."

"As the man, I should."

"Ladies first."

"Man proposes." It wasn't a really good phrase especially when the other half of the proverb was 'God disposes' which only furthered their recent bad memories. Sayo grabbed the chopsticks first, eating a piece of the cooked fish at the center before shaking. Ieyasu worriedly asked,

"So it was poisoned, S—"

"Soooo good!" Sayo beamed as she quickly ate more, grabbing a bowl of rice. "You have to try it Ieyasu!"

At the sound of 'okay', Ieyasu cheered and took a bowl as well. Both of them ate quickly, having been starved since they were caught. Narumi smiled as she entered to sit at the table besides them,

"Glad you like it."

"Gah!"

Ieyasu spit his food out at her sudden appearance and Sayo choked, whacking her chest. She laughed; Akoumi and Esdese were both so boring with their lack of reactions that she forgot how cute children were. Standing up to pour them glasses of water, she sat back down again.

"You two will have to do better than that to survive in the Capital."

Both of them flinched at the reminder of their near-deaths. Ieyasu clenching his fists, "I know."

"No, you don't know," She simply spoke as she took a tomato from the salad, "Which is why I'm telling you. You think you understand, but you don't, understand?"

"We just—" Ieyasu's voice was raised, but silenced under a single stare from those purple eyes,

"You've been tortured. So what? I'm sure you two saw the others in the same shack as you. There were twelve of them within the noble's property. There are thousands of nobles within the Empire. Each of them have different tastes; many of them are more sadistic and daring than a little girl just starting to explore her tastes. The Emperor is just a little kid, a puppet controlled by the Prime Minister who is the one who orders the heavy taxes that suffocate your small villages. Those who simply just disagree with him for one time, one word and they are publicly tortured and executed. There are rebellions, threats of Danger Beasts, and war with other countries. Do you really think you understand?"

Ieyasu sat back down with a thud on his wooden chair. Sayo's mouth was already covered, sick with the idea that all of this was happening while they were in the village.

His eyes saw nothing despite open, "I don't… why…"

"Simply because some people are just twisted like that. We like it. Humans like it when they're superior to something. When they can crush things and do their wishes unrestrained. Don't like a person, maim them." Sayo flinched as she remembered the knives in her thigh as they sliced off her leg and cut up her body. All because the rich girl didn't like her straight hair. "Do like a person? Well, rape them. Do your heart's fantasies to them even let your pet dog in heat pound into them. And no one is strong enough to defeat the Empire because they're simply too strong. They have technology, fear, and their Generals. One General can bury an army of hundreds alive. That is their strength. Do you understand?"

"...no…" And once again, the tears fell at their helplessness. They couldn't defeat a little rich girl. They couldn't save their village. They couldn't do anything. They were—

"You two are weak. Stupid. Gullible. Ignorant. Pathetic." Each word was so taunting yet haunting as they couldn't deny anything. They were broken just as they were when he had the Lubora Disease and she without her leg. They thought that was bad. It was nothing compared to what thousands more suffered.

"You two are lucky." They had it lucky. They only had to suffer so much— "You can still suffer more, make more mistakes, and grow stronger — strong enough until you can do whatever you want, whether it be destroy an Empire or save your village or even simply take revenge. You two still have each other and can protect each other until your natural deaths. You two have potential and what's more. You two are still alive."

Ieyasu wondered when her hand was on his head, ruffling his spiky hair. Ieyasu wondered how she could still be smiling even when saying such mean things or harsh truths about reality. Ieyasu wondered when something strong and uplifting filled his heart as those purple eyes gazed at him. At them both.

"You two are weak so I'll make you two strong. You two are stupid so I'll make you smart. You two are gullible so I'll make you perceptive enough to know who to trust and who to deceive. You two are ignorant so I'll give you knowledge. You two are pathetic so I'll give you chances and what you do with them is up to you. Because what you two have right now at the very least is yourself. Your resolve. And that is the most important thing a person could have. Now, eat up. I'll tell you your first job for me once you finished."

They could only nod at that charismatic person who made everything seem so bad yet so good. She was a balance that gave them calm. That gave them hope at the same time as despair, cancelling everything out so they could make their own decisions without influence. Maybe that was why they weren't surprised anymore or didn't even think about how she managed to bring them out of limbo anymore.

She was a person who made things possible.

Once finished, Narumi brought them outside, pointing to the distance, "That's the Capital."

Their troubles seemed so far away… It was just so sublime how beautiful the world was and how safe the world currently felt. Narumi then pushed them off the cliff, apparently being nice enough to let them roll off it instead of free-fall. She tossed a knife down and shouted,

"Your first job is to find a Dragon-Type Danger Beast and capture it alive! You have two weeks to bring it up here or I'll kill you two for disappointing me myself."

Only screams and curses answered her until she heard two thuds. She hummed. They would need the whole week to find a Dragon. Because there was only one down there and it camouflaged with the place as all Danger Beasts on Fake Mountain did.

…

There was silence as he sat next to the new kid in front of the stones that had flower bouquets placed in front of them. Finally, the kid with wild brownish orange hair (though neater than his own) spoke,

"They're gone."

"They are."

"No, literally. Even their bodies."

"The mansion and grounds burnt down."

"Everything… gone."

"Yes."

Tatsumi growled as he punched the redhead in the face, beating against that composed look and then at the wide target of his chest before crying,

"I couldn't bury them. They're gone."

"They are." Akoumi spoke, "Leone wants to say sorry."

Fists clenched, "If she hadn't dragged me to this fucking place, then I—"

"Then what? They would still be dead. You would still be here. What will change?" Before Tatsumi could punch him again, Akoumi held the boy's fists to his own chest, gazing at those green eyes, "Nothing. It's sad, I know. But what's more important is that they're within you now. Right here." At the heart. "They would want you to move on. Live happy. Be the best man you ever could. But more importantly, live happily."

"...It's just me now…" Tears finally fell with all his anger released, "I… I want them back. I want to be happy with them back at the village where none of this happened."

"I know, but they won't come back since they're already within you." Akoumi hugged the boy, remembering his own mother when she comforted people like this. Hugs made people happy. If anything, that was what she taught him. "And you will never be alone. Their spirits within you and even if you don't join the Night Raid, you still have your village, you still have future friends and comrades perhaps even a lover, and now… right now, you have me. I won't tell anyone if you decide to leave right now. But if you ever want to come back, see these markers that they _lived_, and need someone to talk to, then be my guest."

Akoumi. The Red Sea was salty, wasn't it? The redhead wondered why his mother named him such a bloody name as he let the boy cry on his expensive shirt, pretending that it was rain.

Despite telling the boy that he could leave, he wasn't surprised that the kid chose to stay for revenge on the Capital and to destroy the Empire. He wasn't surprised when Leone apologized and the kid acted as if she done nothing wrong. He wasn't surprised when people teased him about his bruised face.

What he was surprised about though was that Schere saw him comfort Tatsumi and confessed.

He accepted.

There were two things to celebrate about that day.

Well, except for Braht who was gay and had the hots for him. At least, he got the new boy now.

…

Sayo panted, "I miss my arrows."

Ieyasu sighed, "I miss my axe."

"Why didn't she give us two weapons at least?" They lamented together, feeling closer than ever under the night sky. One day passed and they still haven't found the stupid dragon. Sayo stared at the tree branches,

"It's so cold… Yet why are those trees really Danger Beasts in disguise?!" She shouted as she jumped out of the way; the tree animated again, having snuck up on them while they were staring at the night sky in hunger. An eye appeared on them and she knew that the 'tree branches' were really just flesh, completely unburnable for good replacement. Ieyasu hacked at it with the knife, protecting her once again as she remained armless. Ieyasu sighed as he wiped his brow,

"Why the hell is this place so empty when a Dragon's supposed to live here?!"

"It's probably in disguise." Sayo kicked a rock, only for it to hug her shoe and Ieyasu to stab it, "Everything's in disguise here. Camouflage, disguise, con artists — they're all fucking in here."

Ieyasu laughed, making her growl, "What?!"

"You just said a bad word! You prissy princess just said a bad word!"

She was about to snap at him until she realized with an odd bubble of amusement that she did and she laughed as well. Both of them laughed until they calmed and stared at their surroundings. Sayo smiled,

"There's got to be a trick to finding it. What did the retired soldier say?"

"Always be aware of your surroundings. They always fucking matter in every fucking fight." Ieyasu grinned as he recited the gruff old man's words perfectly. Only because he found them amusing, but it was perfect for this fight. Sayo smiled as she held out her hand. The boy blinked before giving her the knife and she skinned the Tree Beast's flesh off the bone of its 'branch'. Slicing one end, she handed the sharpened bone to him.

"Everything matters. All senses. Taste, sight, hearing, feel, smell — every movement matters, the tracks on the ground to the disturbed leaves. Instinct matters." She stilled her body, calming her body and lowering her eyes. Ieyasu watched their expert archer in amazement as she ended, "Even presence can be detected."

Ieyasu remembered just this morning how the woman snuck up on the two. He nodded firmly and attempted to do it as well, remembering the woman's example, the village hunters' example, and her example. He remembered the times he had to hunt bunnies for food for their starving village and erased his presence as good as he can as well. Then, they focused on the ground for tracks.

They haven't found it still, but they were sure one exists if the woman said so and they shouldn't disappoint yet when it was just the first day and night of their two weeks job.

…

Narumi sighed as the baby kicked her. Pregnancy was such a pain. She wondered how that stoic hulk of muscle would react when he found out that he had a kid… Then again, it was probably not wise to tell the honor-bound guy who was more than likely going to try and take responsibility if he found out.

"The strongest kid, huh…" Whether it be Akoumi or this kid in her belly here, she wouldn't know. Either way, she was excited to see if the next generation was ready to take over after whatever the Revolution's ending result was.

…

"You can cook too, Akoumi?"

"Ah, yeah. My mother taught me."

Rabac snorted as he waited for his precious food, "His mother taught him everything."

"Eh?! Even how to fight?!" Tatsumi's ears perked up as he remembered the mock fight between him and Braht. He was amazed by how fast they moved and how strong each of their hits were, able to leave huge craters in the ground with punches even without their Teigus. Apparently, Akoumi's Teigu was his sword, Hiramekarei. The guy called it lame, but Tatsumi thought it was pretty awesome to have a sword that could shapeshift into any kind of weapon or shape.

Najenda grinned, "Apparently even how to fight. Too bad mama bear's not coming to join us in the Revolution."

"Eh? Why not?" The brunet wondered; he could think of many reasons why a person should fight in this Revolution. Akoumi sighed as he rubbed the back of his spiky red hair,

"Mother is neutral in the long run. She may teach. She may advise. She may even invent things… But she will never join anyone who will upset her balance or affect her freedom. She will even torture and kill those who try or those who anger her so everyone who knows her keeps her on cordial relations. She's a great person to be around if you don't try to recruit her into a cause."

"But it's a great cause! Surely, she has morals—" Tatsumi's green eyes widened as he caught himself and looked down, "Sorry, I didn't mean that…"

"It's alright." Akoumi smiled, "I actually asked the same thing once. We were visiting a country in the East. We weren't supposed to see it, but what we caught was a fat man raping a girl in the forest. Poor girl. She lost her leg and had her arms stabbed together with a metal pole. My mother stopped me from saving the girl when she recognized that the man was a government official. In the end, the man cut her open, pulling out her organs and eating her heart." Akame stopped eating ingredients as she cooked while the others looked disgusted that he was saying such a thing while making beef stew.

"Don't get me wrong. I love my mother. She actually does have morals. She always saves those she makes 'acquaintances' with. She helps her friends with little things, sometimes even spoiling them like when she created me. She always fights for her beliefs — and she does have beliefs that she considers more important than her neutrality creed. But to her, neutrality is pretty much everything."

"What about family? What does she do for family?" Tatsumi finally spoke. Akoumi's eyes darkened as he sliced the onion harder than he should have and cut through the cutting board. The Revolutionaries silenced at once, having never saw the carefree, cheerful redhead with such a dead look in his eyes.

"She spoils us while making us the best people we could possibly be… but I'm afraid appealing to her like that won't work." He stared at the knife, remembering the earliest memory he could ever remember. "My half sister's _happily_ with the Empire."

"Happily?"

Akoumi nodded, smiling as he patted Tatsumi's head, "Don't worry. I'll kill her. Maybe then Mother will make a move." He contemplated idly. "Mother is very strong."

As he murmured, they all finally got an idea of the real reason Akoumi was fighting the Empire. Whoever his sister was, she played a big part of it. Akame gazed at the man. It surprised her that he had a reason similar to her then since she too wanted to kill her own sister.

"That's just wrong." They all glanced at Tatsumi, who clenched his knife with a frown, "Wanting to kill your own sister."

"...You'll understand, Tatsumi." Akoumi finally said after a long pause, "If… No, when you meet her and get to know her, you'll understand that there are some people in this world that are rotten to the core. She can't be changed or persuaded. She lived her whole life one way and she won't change for whatever words you give her because that is her ego, her pride, her strength. Once you learn that, you'll understand who I'm talking about because I have a feeling that you two will meet one day."

"I will change her. I can't give up. She's your sister, Akoumi! Half, but she's your sister!"

The redhead only gave him a knowing look before serving dinner. Tatsumi felt discouraged, but determined to give it a shot. Dinner began on a lighter note when Rabac couldn't help but ask,

"So spoiling a friend created you, huh, Akoumi?"

Many of them groaned; Leone laughed. Mein sighed, "Of course you would pay attention to that. Of course."

"What?! It just sounded so—"

Najenda sighed, "Really, Rabac?"

"But—"

"Well, I don't mind. It's actually why I have a half sister in the first place. See, her mother died and her father was heartbroken and my mother just happened to be a very nice person so that night—"

"Alright, stop there." Mein blushed as vibrantly as her own pink hair color. She was interested at first, but if the guy was going to continue on with that stuff, then she was gonna—

"So what happens that night, Akoumi?" Najenda and Leone both asked with teasing smirks at the little innocent tsundere; they hid laughs underneath their hands at the girl's face.

Rabac commented, "I'm surprised she told you this story."

"Well, what can I say? My mother doesn't care about the little details. She's very nonchalant with those she had affairs with."

"_...your family's sort of messed up."_ Tatsumi stared at the redhead, wanting to say it yet not out of respect for his senpai.


	4. Chapter 4

"Hey, why doesn't Akoumi go into the Capital when he doesn't have a poster?" Tatsumi asked after a while. Mein shrugged,

"He says that his red hair's pretty distinguishable and he doesn't want people to recognize him during a Hunt. I'm a sniper, but he's like a Vanguard, you know?"

"Oh, I see…" Tatsumi whispered, "Could it be that his sister's in the Capital as well?"

"Hm…" Mein blinked, "I never thought about that. Could be…"

…

"We did it!" Ieyasu roared as he threw down the heavy rock dragon. Narumi gazed at them and nodded with a smile at their work well done. One week and they finished the job earlier than expected.

"Good work. Now watch carefully," She slit the dragon while it was still alive, making them watch in horror. "Danger Beasts are worth more alive than dead, because you can get the gems within the animal-like ones while they're still sparkly and everything. These are used in forging strong armor and weapons as well as for jewelry. The eyes can be sold to fanatical collectors or those who believe that eating the eyes or meat or blood of a dragon will give them power. The hide can be used to make fashionable clothing and—"

"Stop."

Narumi paused to turn back to see their crying faces and ended the screams of the dragon with a decisive blow to the heart. Sayo fell on her knees,

"It's the same. Their screams are the same — they, the Danger Beasts just want to live! We wanted to just live! Why must the world be this way?!"

"The strongest eat the weak. Only the strongest can survive. The strongest win while the weak perish. The weak can't do anything so they have no rights. The weak are just fodder, food for the strong. All of these are…" The two kids flinched before they even heard the word and she smiled, "Ideals."

They looked up in surprise and she gazed at the beautiful gem in her hand, "This came from torturing a living thing. It's beautiful, isn't it? It gives a person more money, more fame, more everything… but what it doesn't give a human is more morals, more discipline, more good. It's tempting to want to make something suffer for something great like this. It's tempting to steal from a noble to get their money. It's tempting to want to kill a bunny for meat. It's tempting to want to rape for love. But there's something more to life than just doing things for benefits or even for oneself. We help each other. It may not produce something like this, but it's still beautiful as an act itself. Help another and in turn that person would help others and we hope that the chain will go on forever until it connects the hearts of all. That too is an ideal…" Narumi gave placed the gem in Ieyasu's hands, walking away as she spoke, "But there are no laws in this world except human made ones. That is yours to keep along with the whole dragon that you caught. Sell everything, get more of those gems, and you can gain enough money to save your entire village for a year or two."

"..." They stared at the orb once she left to inside the house. Later that day, she watched as they sat down at her table, clapping their hands before fervently shouting,

"Itadakimasu!" And then eating with tears about how good the food was. She couldn't help but give a laugh. Children. They grew up so beautifully — they learnt so quickly and they understood yet another lesson about life. They eat it. And they learned the grace of gratitude when they thanked it, not wasting a single bit.

She didn't have to ask to know that they sold the pieces of the dragon they caught. She didn't have to foresee to know that they wouldn't do the easy tip to gaining money that she taught them either.

"So what's the next job, Boss?" Ieyasu asked after he ate the meat with his mouth closed. Sayo commented on that idly; both knew that he did that to be more respectful and not waste food. Meat came from the living. She hummed,

"You two are going to help me move 2 tons worth of rice to the next village tomorrow. Since I'm pregnant though, I'm going to be counting on your power."

Their chopsticks dropped.

"Oh, and if you lose even a grain of rice, then I will make you pay for an entire bag of rice at Capital's own market price. One grain, one bag."

She hummed, wondering if she killed them.

…

"You dropped a grain, Ieyasu, about a kilometer away."

"What?! Why didn't you say so earlier?!" The boy shouted, shifting his load and making three drop out which Sayo pointed out as well. His eyes anxiously scanned the ground before he picked a grain up…

"That's a rock." Sayo sighed before squatting down to pick the three grains of rice up for him, "You need to improve your eyesight, Ieyasu."

"But you didn't see the grain a kilometer away," The boy retorted back in frustration, looking at the rocky trail and wondering if he should go get it or just pay the price. After walking under the hot sun for hours, he really wondered if it was worth it. Finally, he shouted, "I give up! It's only one grain! I'll pay, I'll pay! Let's hurry up and continue moving!"

"Alright, then." Narumi fanned herself as she sat on a horse that pulled a cart full of bags of rice. The two kids walked behind it with twelve bags of rice tied to a contraption on their back. Their job was to watch the bags and make sure that no grain is left behind while keeping track of their own bags. At first, they messed up a lot, but neither of them wanted to pay so they quickly picked it up, but their morale decreased and their eyes hurt from staring at the bags for miniscule drops for so long. Not to mention, if they lose their balance, then rice sometimes spilled from loose areas or holes that appeared out of nowhere. This was a rocky path too… Narumi gestured to the horse, "We'll keep going and Ieyasu owes me a bag."

"How do you even know that a grain was dropped?"

"Hearing, wind currents, feeling, instinct, stinginess, smell, etc — take your pick."

They all knew that if she mentioned it, then it was all of the above. Their employer was a monster. Ieyasu grumbled, "Why can't you do this yourself? Who cares about a measly grain anyways?"

"Saa…" came her cryptic answer, "Who does?"

"You do so warn me next time right away!"

"Ieyasu…" Sayo sighed, "It's training."

"I don't care, Sayo! She—"

The girl gave a warning glare and he mumbled as he continued on with the job. Finally, the next day, they reached the village. Sayo and Ieyasu both stared at the rundown village in surprise. It was even worse off than their own. No, way worse off judging by the shanty houses and many people wearing rags as clothing and perhaps even skin with how their bones were showing. The villagers too gazed at them in surprise; an old woman being wheeled out to greet them. She too seemed dying as if surviving only on willpower. Narumi stopped the horse and Ieyasu loudly spoke,

"This place's a dump! Are you sure we're going to sell anything here?!"

"Ieyasu!" Sayo hissed, frowning as she gazed at the poor people. Ieyasu already understood as he glared back,

"I know, Sayo, geez! I'm just making sure Boss isn't going to try cheating them."

Narumi smiled, "Why thank you for worrying, Ieyasu. But just because you're working for me, doesn't mean that I'm making others buy things from me."

"Eh? Then, what's with all the rice—" His eyes widened along with Sayo's as they finally understood it. With Narumi, there was always something underneath the underneath. Narumi climbed down from her horse, gently holding the old village chief's bony hands,

"We have extra rice, Obaa-chan, and decided to donate it. Seeing this many people starving makes me apologize. We only have about a hundred and twenty bags. Would that be enough?"

"More than, young lady." The old lady teared happily, taking the warm hands of the teenager weakly yet gently, "Thank you so much for saving our village. I thought… I thought we were all going to die when they took away our money and land for taxes."

"You won't."

"Thank you… thank you… thank you…" She repeated before finally silencing. The villagers were all quiet. One, appearing like a young daughter, spoke,

"She was only hanging on for hope. For her to die right after you helped us… I bet she's at peace now. There are no words to describe how much you helped us. Even if it was just one grain, every thought counts when no one bothered to do anything but take our things and leave us to suffer."

"I understand." Narumi kissed the hand of the old lady, "May you rest in peace."

The villagers bowed and Narumi got on the horse again with the help of some men; her belly bulky from the time almost coming. She really did always feel super lazy and weaker than before in pregnancy. The cart now empty; they were ready to go back. Sayo reported,

"Ieyasu ran ahead."

Narumi nodded as she closed her eyes, "I'll make sure nothing is deducted from his pay."

It was only one grain… one insignificant little thing… but it was the world to others. A sign of gratitude, a sign of caring, a sign of change. It was a grain of hope and more importantly, it was a grain of one less thing to worry about in this world of suffering.

A grain, a food, a life.

…

"There may be a Teigu that has the ability to bring dead people back to life! Right!?"

Akoumi frowned at the kid's conclusion with his lesson about Teigu after bringing Zank the Beheader's Spectator Teigu back to base. It was sad… but even his mother couldn't do that. Dead people were dead and after limbo, they were even more dead. There was nothing stopping that circle of life, the cycle of the world.

In that manner, he considered his mother to be the world. The embodiment of that cycle that was never changing. Weak appearing but strong, that cycle of life and death would never change no matter how many thought that they could break it.

Never.

He smiled later when he saw Schere comfort the boy. She was like a mother and he, the father.

…

"So you're working for me this time?"

"With you, Akoumi." Tatsumi sweatdropped, feeling like a underling. Akoumi grinned,

"No problem. Today, we're just going to kill, kill, and kill. Gain more experience and become awesome, Tat!"

"..."

…

"You two are going hunting for a Dragon-Type Danger Beast in the same place again."

"Again?!" Both of them shouted as they sparred together with martial arts; the woman having corrected their stances many times. Narumi nodded except before they could jump down, she gave them masks that fully covered the upper part of their faces. The mask cloaked their noses with a neutral scent, obstructing even their sense of smell.

"This time, you will be staying for the whole week down there. You can decide what to do with the Danger Beast, but you are not allowed to take off this mask. On the second day, the mask will distract you. Starting on the third day, you will be able to hear nothing. The fourth day, you will be able to feel nothing. And on the final day, you will be able to taste nothing, eat nothing. In the beginning, you will get a knife again. On the night of the third day, you will get your respective weapons; bow and axe. Understand?"

The two felt very nervous, but nodded, taking the masks and covering their faces. Everything blackened. Two senses were gone. It was alright. Ieyasu took the knife. And they both felt themselves flying in the air again; the pain from rolling down the cliff more gruesomely painful than before. They unsteadily got to their feet and began the week.

…

"What are you uneasy about, Tatsumi? Most assassinations are in the dark!"

So the redhead says when he's teetering around, bumping into objects and quickly catching them to not make a sound. Tatsumi felt blind and nervous about his every action.

"I can't do this, Akoumi."

"Of course you can. Just close your eyes and listen."

Tatsumi did. Akoumi stilled his presence though his footsteps were already silent and presence already muffled. That guy was a real assassin.

"There's wind from the windows. There's soft snores. There's us and little critters and bugs like spiders."

He heard them.

"Now cover your ears and feel."

It was a bit awkward with a sword in hand, but Tatsumi did. Akoumi didn't have to prompt him as he felt the wind currents naturally flow in and then break off into little whirlpools and eddies. He felt as if he was in a river and every obstacle was shown by the diverting water. Tatsumi sniffed the air and smelled old men, dust, animal, human, delicious lamb stew. It was all very faint, but they existed just as the things that created their smells existed. Then, two hands gently pulled his hands away and Akoumi smiled,

"See? Easy, right? Calm down and listen and then you will hear the world. There are many things that we ignore as we live, but that does not change the fact that everything exists. When you stop, you will understand. And one day, you'll be like me and understand while you run and kill some existences~"

"...Yeah." Tatsumi smiled. This lesson was more straightforward than Schere's or Mein's or Akame's. Akoumi was a great teacher. He pumped his fists, "Yeah!"

"Then I leave the people in the left wing to you. Heading over to right."

"What? Wait—"

And he was alone in the dark. Tatsumi groaned when some dogs decided to show up just as he left. Always, always, always… but he could get stronger. Knowing that he had to get the dogs before they could bark, he closed his useless eyes and listened. He felt the winds and smelled their disgusting breaths and slashed, placing their corpses down soundlessly. He crept forward in the darkness to slay something more dangerous than dog and monster. Humans awaited him in the left wing.

…

"Why is everything with you hell, Boss?" Ieyasu asked as he collapsed on the top where the cottage laid once again. Sayo did the same, ignoring all proper manners as she just fell. The woman just smiled at them as always,

"But you guys are getting stronger right?"

The children exchanged glances even with their sight still obstructed by the mask. They could sense each other. They could read each other even without seeing the body movements. Sayo slowly took off the mask to gasp in awe at the vibrant colors of the world and the senses that overwhelmed her body. She was so insignificant as the winds roared as the horizon stretched on forever with the unity of the red hues of the sky and brown earthy dirt. She could taste the particles of air and she could smell them. Never has she felt so in tune with nature before, even back in the village when surrounded by forests and farm animals. She felt touched. She was one with the world.

"...yeah." She found herself saying after a long silence in awe. Her fists clenched, "We're growing stronger."

"Tatsumi'll be jealous by how fast we are growing stronger. Ieyasu-sama won't be left in the dirt anymore." Ieyasu grinned as he too realized it once taking his mask off. Narumi nodded, shifting her arms,

"But if your Tatsumi is not dead, then he too will be training and doing who knows what to become the strongest. Everyone is training and practicing — even those in the Capital. If you want to stay at the top where everyone is a genius, then you have to work hard, carve the basics of the world into your bones, and learn everyday. Now that you know more about your surroundings, I will start teaching you about yourself. Tomorrow, we're sparring. You two versus me."

"But what about your baby…" Sayo and Ieyasu stared at the three little kids in her arms; her stomach a little flatter than before. Narumi smiled,

"They'll be fine."

"Babies…" Sayo corrected herself, running forth and not feeling as tired anymore as she gazed at the little cuties in amazement. Life. After days of being taught to appreciate it, she could really marvel and appreciate new lives now. "They're beautiful. What are their names?"

"The girl will be Ringo." She even had her red hair and soft yellow eyes. "And the boy will be Reishi (Lychee)." The boy had red hair as well along with golden brown eyes. "And the youngest boy will be Yuzu (lemon)." He varied from his siblings with distinctly yellow hair and honey eyes. Ieyasu laughed as he ran up as well to tease the babies with pokes,

"You sure you weren't hungry when you named them?"

"Ieyasu!" Sayo shouted, ready to scold her friend. Instead, she laughed when Reishi bit his finger with a dark glare. Narumi giggled as well before shaking her head to his question,

"Nah. Their father's name could mean grape so I found it fitting to do the same to the children. These kids are under the contract as well."

"Hai, hai, we'll keep them a secret~" Ieyasu placed his crossed arms behind his head as he watched the babies yawn out of sleepiness. Sayo smiled,

"Such a shame~ They're so adorable~"

"Right, enough with the sweet talking. Rest up today because tomorrow will be…" They shivered at the horrible feelings that they got in the suddenly icy atmosphere, "Hell."

…

Narumi really was surprised when she had Akoumi though. She really was supposed to be very fertile with her abundant life energy. To have only one kid then… It was really the workings of fate.

This too… She noted as she easily dodged the kids and used the force of their attacks against them. For there to be a third kid who wasn't 'dead' and was taken by Night Raid, that too had to be the workings of fate.

There was something really amazing going on in the Capital and this Era. Now…

"...So to end your physics lesson today, acceleration of a body is directly proportional to acting force and inversely proportional to mass. This can be applied to constant mass as well, where impulse of the body is directly proportional to mass and velocity. Apply your lesson to your fighting styles in the next thirty minutes break." With that, she dropped the book of physic notes to the ground. Spinning around, she caught the next punch and jabbed the other in the gut with a chakra fist, sending Ieyasu far away as she walked to the suddenly nervous Sayo and knocked her into the ground with a hard punch after blocking that hit.

Though she was physically weak after her rebirth, didn't mean that she couldn't be Sakura and use heavy hitter hacks to scare the brats. Just as she walked into the house, she watched the kids scramble to the textbook and write notes in the dirt with the knives she gave the both of them along with their main weapon of choice. Her lips curled when she heard Ieyasu's frustrated groan and Sayo's patient teaching as she reiterated her words. They were a good pair.

…

"Ecs… tasy…" Schere spoke as the light filled the entire area, blinding the reinforcements, the Teigu User, and even the Teigu — all except her allies. She smiled, "You came."

"Too late though." Akoumi bitterly spoke as he saw Mein's crushed body on the ground and her split one. Schere smiled,

"Take Mein. Heal her. Save her please, Akoumi…"

He saw her purple eyes and gritted his teeth, covering his own eyes, "When you say it like that, it's hard to refuse. I love you, Schere."

"I know. I love you too." She smiled. Though she was ugly like this, she couldn't help but be happy that she could see him one last time. "Leave me. And take care of Tatsumi — he's like… our son."

Akoumi nodded, but wiped his tears and ran towards her.

"What are you doing? Leave me; forget me and go—"

"As if I can do that! Dead or alive, I won't leave you alone. Especially not till the end."

Schere felt tears as she watched him pry open the biological Teigu's mouth, breaking the dog's jaws apart as he grabbed her and her other half and Mein, running away as Ecstasy's light faded. She cried into his chest, holding his neck as they ran back to home as she remembered why she loved him so much and why she had to say,

"Please never forget me. I don't care if you find a new love — no, I want you to be happy and find one, but… please." He didn't speak and she knew it was because he couldn't with his throat hurting so much like hers, "I love you so much. I love all of you at the base, at home where I belong. Thank you so much. It was really fun…"

"SCHERE!" He finally shouted, but he couldn't stop to shake her awake or anything. He couldn't stop to hold her again — just the two of them alone. He couldn't stop the tears from falling as he promised and promised to never forget her and repeated and repeated his heart's love. And finally, they were at base. Mein finally spoke, having been conscious from the pain of all her bones being broken from the damn dog,

"I won't survive, Akoumi, so… I just wanted to say… I'm so sorry about Schere…" Tears fell from her eyes; no, they were always falling ever since she heard the two talk to each other back _there_, "It was all my fault… I—"

"Shut up." He growled, but it was a light one as he held the girl more tightly against his chest, "You won't die. I won't let you. Schere wanted you to live."

"But…"

"I'm not letting Schere's will die! I'm not letting another die!" People might find the base with his roars, but he didn't care. Mein wanted to tell him that it was impossible; there weren't even any real doctors at base and no one could heal her. She was as good as useless with almost every bone in her body grinded to bits. But she couldn't, knowing that the man wanted to save her, wanted it so badly and desperately — though she knew he loved Schere and wanted to save her even more badly, she was happy that she too was cared about in her last moments. Finally, she could feel something comforting even over the pain and fell asleep.

…

Mein woke up with a gasp as if just breaking out of the suffocating water that drowned her lungs. She stared in blank bewilderment at her surroundings. It was her room. She clenched her fists on the sheets, only to stare down at it to see that she could move every fingers and then her hand and then her arm and she could stand.

"You're alive." Akame spoke, making her whip around to see Najenda and Leone as well with the black haired girl. The dreamy feeling of death bothered her as she couldn't comprehend anything,

"How? I—"

"Broke almost every bone known to the world? Yeah, we know." Leone said nonchalantly. Despite her words, the blond held her shaking arm; her eyes lowered as she still couldn't help but remember seeing the two bodies that she thought couldn't be anything but dead.

"Then how?!" She shouted, feeling an urge to know. Something really bugging her. Najenda spoke,

"Akoumi saved you. He brought you to base."

"But th—"

"It's a funny story." Leone tried laughing, but she couldn't, "His mother gave him a potion that could heal anything short of death when he asked the same thing Tatsumi did — you know, about Teigus reviving the dead?"

"Then, Schere is—" Mein brightened, making Akame say in a just as soft but honest voice as she had spoke to say that she was alive,

"Dead. Schere's dead, Mein. He only had one." Mein stopped, feeling the word crush her to the ground. She had a feeling… She felt herself cry and she felt a tinge of gratitude when Najenda stopped Leone from moving towards her as she cried as much as when she heard those two—

"Idiots! Idiot, idiot, idiot! They're idiots! Why?! Why… why didn't he go save Schere?! I… I should have died! Why couldn't I have just… Why…" Akame was about to touch her shoulder when she cried and remembered, "They loved each other so much… They… The whole world was for them and I couldn't butt in when they spoke. They… I… I killed them."

This time, Najenda placed a hand on the girl, making her look up at her, "You didn't. Schere… Schere couldn't have been saved. Both of them choosing your life over hers was rational. You saved her, Mein. You gave her a peace of mind for the end and she wouldn't have forgiven herself if you who she thought of as a daughter was hurt. Thank you, Mein, for surviving."

And the two hugged each other; Mein felt like a baby as she bawled into her boss's shoulder. Her boss's grip felt so comforting and safe and warm that she felt like she saw Schere leaving her with a smile when she closed her eyes.

…

"Ako—"

Braht stopped the kid from moving deeper into the forest as he nodded his head to the man training in the clearing. His stances were a tad bit stiffer than before and his strokes heavier. But he continued fighting an imaginary opponent, training and training without stop. Tatsumi felt his face fall with sorrow at the sight. The redhead was like him except he wasn't sitting before empty graves doing nothing but mourning.

Tatsumi wished he could have done something, but he knew that more than anything, it was Akoumi who wished that.

Finally, it was when the girls appeared, the man was stopped from hurting himself in pain. Mein had kicked him, making him growl before stopping himself,

"Ah, hey, Mein."

"No!" The pinkette shouted, "That's not how it works! Hit me! Yell at me! Scold me! I was the reason why Schere died so do something!" Mein closed her eyes, waiting for pain. Instead, the redhead lightly chopped her on the head, ruffling her hair and laughing, after a long silence.

"Hahaha, you're so cute, Mein~ You know, that's probably why Schere really loved you. You always brightened her day. Thanks."

"You two… You two are idiots… You're too nice…"

"Really? I don't know…" His fists clenched as he glared at the sun, "Right now, all I feel is anger at my foolish self. I thought that I would have never needed to use it." He stared down at the empty vial in his right fist. It was so small… Why didn't he even try asking for more? "I never thought that anyone would die, but we all knew didn't we. That we could all be harmed or killed… We all knew when we joined the army… Or even first thought of defeating the Empire. I was too used to my mother who could do anything and guide me through everything that I forgot. Human lives really are so fragile…"

"Akoumi…"

"That vial. Can I have it?" The redhead gazed up at Najenda and nodded. Najenda gazed at the little pinky sized vial that saved her subordinate before carefully pocketing it, "I'll send it to the main base for examination along with the Teigu. However, there are no guarantees. This is the beginning of a life or death struggle, men!"

They nodded determinedly. It takes a Teigu to fight a Teigu and a Teigu User always died in such a fight. When walking back to base, Rabac gazed at Akoumi,

"Your mother really can do everything, huh."

"No," Akoumi shook his head, "She can't bring back the dead."

The words hung on them, sinking deeply into their hearts at the confirmation. What happened to Mein wouldn't happen again.

…

"Whoa… It really listened to me! Boss! Sayo! It really listened to me!" Ieyasu cheered as he glomped the Bird-Type Danger Beast. It carried back a package of fresh vegetables and letters after delivering his own letter and bag of money to the village. Sayo felt excitement and pride as she stared at her own Danger Beast 'pet', ripping open the letters to see their thanks and questions and replies.

"Ne, Ieyasu… To think… We almost couldn't send them these letters… To think, we almost couldn't send them money to make our village wealthy… To think, we almost couldn't hear their words again!"

Ieyasu stopped in his joy as he realized it as well, ripping open his letters as well to read the kind words from his lively village. The support, the scolds, the simple conversation topics… All of it was so precious. He grabbed the package of vegetables that the village spared for them, shouting,

"Boss! Today, can I cook?!"

Narumi was always the one cooking while they trained and studied. The redhead nodded, playing with her three children while the two teens opened their letters, "Sure. Can you cook?"

"Of course! Sayo forced us to learn before we went to the Capital!"

Sayo teased, "He's only better than nothing."

"Hey!"

"So I guess that means I have to cook as well!" Sayo concluded, grabbing the fresh vegetables that the village sent her as well. She patted the Yosuzume (Night Sparrows), allowing them to fly away. In their time stay, they had learned many things from Narumi and Sayo was thankful for it. She was glad that she made the choice to trust a stranger again and accept the offer — she was glad that she could even trust again after what happened with that noble, Aria, because she remembered that new friends only came from trusting strangers.

She was going to cook a great feast for their savior, her savior.

Then, Narumi suddenly stood up, making them all jump.

"What is it, Boss?"

The redhead gazed into the distance before contemplating, "Remember your promise and make your own decisions, Sayo, Ieyasu. Remember them well and go look at the intruders of this mountain."

The two teen's eyes widened and they nodded, abandoning their things to rush towards the direction that the redhead was gazing at. With their weapons already tied across their backs, they were already ready for battle if need to be so. Narumi smirked as she placed a red fox like mask over her head; the snout of the mask covering the top of her nose and the fur that extended down like a cloak covering her distinctive red hair. Two ornamental bells ringed near her ears; the two golden orbs hanging from her left ear like earrings with ofudas.

She could smell her son on the two and though it be very faint, her intuition was telling her that her students and the child of the two intruders knew each other.

…

"Can you get them from here?"

Sayo smirked as she notched an arrow and held her bow — a beautiful weapon that Narumi gave her and very efficient too. Though the trees blocked her view and the people were far away so that they couldn't be detected and the wind was strong, she answered with a smirk,

"Stupid question, Ieyasu."

The boy grinned as he relaxed on tree branches, "I thought so too."

She concentrated and remembered all her lessons as of date. Use all your senses. Calm and empty your mind. Think of your surroundings. Know your predator. Use the wind rather than be forced by it. And countless others. This was the real test of their training. If they were strong enough to face humans. She aimed and fired. Both listened to the arrow as it whirred through the leaves and flew with the wind before widening their eyes when the man dodged it at last second.

"Shit!"

"We have to change location." Though they both already jumped off the tree and ran to blend with the rocks, wearing clothing that Sayo sewed herself with the hides of the camouflaging Danger Beasts that they killed for meat before. Ieyasu grabbed the axe on his back while Sayo aimed and shot three more arrows at the other people who too ran towards them. "We'll make contact in five."

"Got it!" Ieyasu shouted as the mist cleared and he threw a smoke bomb that he made himself. Well, perhaps, the more accurate word was dust bomb. Either way, their visibility blurred up and he came in contact with a spear. His knees buckled under the strength of the other, but he endured more weight than that and roared, "I won't lose to you!"

At the same time as he heard Tatsumi shout after parrying blades with Sayo. The three children blinked before two of them groaned as they remembered Narumi's specific words and interpreted it in an instant though it was still too late. Tatsumi shouted,

"Wait, Aniki! They're my friends!" While Sayo and Ieyasu both sighed and jumped back to abort attack. Ieyasu palmed his face,

"Boss's words are always so cryptic."

"Underneath the underneath…" Sayo repeated, watching as the dust cleared up to smile at the sight of her friend, "At least we get to see Tatsumi."

And the three glomped each other with hugs, shouting each others' names. Braht whistled,

"Not bad, Tatsumi's friends! You really surprised me with those arrows!"

"Sorry about that." Sayo bowed, "We didn't know who the 'intruders' Boss spoke of was."

"No problem~" He laughed amiably, "You shot pretty far away~! Without those glasses that Mein uses too!" He noted as he examined the two children, humming at their muscles and stance. Strong. "My name's Braht."

"Sayo."

"Ieyasu-sama!" The boy with spiky hair pointed to himself proudly. Tatsumi stared at the two with tears in his eyes,

"I never thought I'd ever see you two again! How are you two still alive?! I thought — I saw you—"

Braht's eyes furrowed in confusion at the extreme reaction of reunion before he remembered the two empty gravestones near Schere's and Akame's report. Could it be…

Ieyasu smirked as he posed a V-shape with his fingers, "Boss saved us! Can't tell you how, but we weren't dead yet — people don't die mentally or spiritually or whatever until a short while after their physical deaths or something like that."

"Never mind that." Sayo rolled her eyes at Ieyasu's explanation. To be fair, though, they weren't allowed to talk about limbo. She hugged Tatsumi, "We both got jobs, Tatsumi! We can save the village! And we can grow stronger and smarter! We're alive and the village is too!"

Tatsumi's eyes widened, but he held his tears back with a sniff. He didn't want to look so uncool yet. Ieyasu grabbed his and Braht's hands, "Come on! Let's show you to the Boss! The villagers gave us fresh veggies just now so we can cook them together!"

"Mm!"

Not having the heart to interrupt the kids and sensing no lies or ill intentions or anything from them, Braht followed them as well as they ran over the rocky terrain full of obstacles. He hummed. Not bad for children anyways — already proficient at free-running. Once at the cottage, he was greeted with a fox-mask wearing woman.

Though they never saw the mask before, Sayo and Ieyasu didn't question, understanding that there must be a reason why she wanted it. They shouted with waves,

"Boss! We brought back friends! Is it alright if we cook and eat together?!"

"It's alright." The woman said. There was something about the woman that reminded him of someone, but Braht couldn't recall and he introduced himself,

"My name's Braht, ma'am."

"Kurama to you, sir." She accepted his handshake (with chakra) and he beamed at the strength,

"So I hear that you were teaching those friends of Tatsumi. Is it alright if we spar while they cook?"

Her purple eyes glinted, "Sure."

"Wait, what!? I want to watch!"

She teased them, "Weren't you three saying that you want to cook together~?"

They pouted and want to protest but the two left with Braht laughing, "Listen to your mot — ah, sorry, I didn't mean to be so rude."

"It's of no matter. I am a mother, after all."

"Eh?! But you look so young!" Tatsumi gaped as well, having thought that she was the same age as him perhaps a little older like 16. She laughed it off,

"I'm a lot older than I look, Braht. Let's not distract the children anymore."

"Hahaha, sure!"

Tatsumi pointed, "Is she… serious?"

"Totally." The two answered, not sure if they could point out the children or not with her deliberately using a new name. Ieyasu grabbed the veggies, "Come on, let's go cook. I want to show you how strong I became."

Tatsumi smirked, "You mean how strong _I _became."

"Bring it on, dude. I'll clobber you."

Sayo shook her head at the boys.

…

"This is cheating! No way! You can't be serious! I—"

While the children gaped, Narumi asked Braht, "You don't mind, right? I wanted the children to practice more together, but I understand that you have your own work to do."

Braht grinned excitedly at the Danger Beasts before him, "You kidding me? When one hour can become one day — I'm more than happy to do this! Damn, you're awesome, Kurama!" He whooped as he grabbed his spear and launched himself in the air above the Dragon-type, "Extra training!"

Kurama called out, "Don't kill all of them. The children have to train too."

"Aniki!" Tatsumi shouted, "How can you be so calm about this?! She just sent us to a separate dimension!" They were just sitting at a dinner table earlier too.

"When you have Teigu existing in the world, you have to keep an open mind or people will kill you in that moment of shock!"

Sayo breathed in and out and nodded, "Alright. Thanks for the lesson, Braht!" She shouted before grabbing her knife and checking the number of arrows in her quiver. Then, she ran forward. Ieyatsu charged as well with his axe,

"Tatsumi! Let's see who can kill the most!"

Tatsumi stared at his friends incredulously before grinning. He couldn't be the only one to adapt so slowly. Grabbing his dagger, he charged as well. He couldn't be the only weak one either. He trained and killed — he got this.

Narumi watched them, laying back and watching her three babies, having brought the crib inside the jar as well. Her fingers laced with green chakra as she made more monsters and wood golems, watching all with amusement.

…

"Is it fine to give this to us?"

"Sure! I'll lend it to you until these two's job contracts are up!"

Sayo and Ieyatsu smiled sheepishly, "Sorry, Tatsumi, Braht, that we can't join the Night Raid with you guys."

"It's alright," Braht grinned as he grabbed the corked jar from Tatsumi's hand, carelessly throwing it up and down in his palm, "Having this thing is fun and makes up for everything! And it can't be helped if you guys have your jobs to do~ Shame, you don't want to join though, Kurama~"

"I have my children to tend to."

"I understand~!" Braht saluted, "I promise to let them grow up in a more stable time period."

"Thanks."

Tatsumi gazed at his two friends before hugging them tightly, "This isn't goodbye. We'll meet each other again and we'll both live good lives."

"Of course."

Their eyes were of determination as they promised. Sayo and Ieyasu turned to the redhead who took off her fox mask once the two left,

"Why didn't you tell us about such a useful object before they came?!"

"Well, it wouldn't be fair to little Tatsumi if you two cheated without him."

They pouted, but agreed that they wanted to prove that they could grow stronger in the same amount of time. Narumi tossed them bags and they looked up questioningly.

"We're travelling. The more places you see, the more terrains you fight on, the more experience you all get and become strong. It's a training adventure and we'll be moving bags of rice along the way."

"Ou!" They shouted before wincing at the sight of enormous carts stacked with bags of rice that suddenly appeared. Though they learned not to question appearing and disappearing things around the girl, they had to wonder where all the stuff came from. But first, they groaned as they carried the contraption carrying fifteen bags of rice and then moved the cart. With her stomach back to normal, Narumi did the same except she had her three babies tied to her back. Still, her cart was larger so that they couldn't really complain. With their things packed up, they left Fake Mountain for a new area.


	5. Chapter 5

"Such a useful thing exists?" Leone asked as she poked the orb jar Braht brought back after training with Tatsumi on Fake Mountain for an entire day. Braht grinned,

"Well, we only left for a day, right? It felt like 20 days to me!"

Tatsumi nodded as he remembered the passing of moon and sun clearly. "20."

Najenda gazed at the training hack before her, "And it looks like a beach resort too."

"It is a beach resort!"

"..."

The woman hummed at the beautiful scenery inside the jar, stretching her arms, "I think I have an hour of free time. I'm going."

Akame already had her swimsuit on as she entered as well. Rabac and Leone didn't even hesitate as they went in as well. Mein eyed it suspiciously before looking at her big brother-figure,

"Akoumi! Can we really trust this thing?!"

The redhead pinched his nose, "I'm still surprised by the fact that you have this…"

"Eh, so it's real!?" Mein shouted while Tatsumi tilted his head,

"What do you mean, Akoumi?"

"My mother built it."

"..."

"I think I need time to relax as well." Mein finally said, uncaring about anything anymore as she entered the jar. Braht gaped,

"Jya, Kurama was your mother?!"

"Kurama? No, my mother's name was Narumi. Either she gave you a fake name or this was given to Kurama by my mother."

"Sou ka…"

"Well, enough about her. I'll watch the base. You two can go have fun."

"Eh?"

With a push, the two were inside the resort as well. Najenda relaxed under the artificial sun and sky, feeling the cool winds and hearing the soothing waves,

"Now this is life. Is Akoumi joining?"

"No, he said that he'll watch the base while we're all in here."

"Oh, right. I almost forgot." The boss carelessly said as she closed her eyes. Rabac drooled from afar at the swimsuits everywhere. Leone was dragged underneath the water by a giant octopus and Akame seemed ready to save her… or at least kill the octopus to eat its meat. Mein laid on a blanket near Najenda, ready to sleep as well. Braht flexed his muscles,

"Since we're keeping this for about two years… Tatsumi!"

"Yeah, Aniki?"

"We're building a house!"

"Okay… Wait, WHAT?!"

"Good luck, boys." Najenda offered while the two ran towards the forests of the mountain on the other side of the dimension.

…

While she could give animation to inanimate objects or accelerate growth, Narumi couldn't make the seeds of life — all the animals and alive Danger Beasts came from seals she placed in random places in her travels. For that, she really appreciated Hiraishin and her improved version of it so that her separate dimensions always had monsters in it for training. Efficiency was improvement throughout the years.

Though she sometimes liked making herself appear as so for fun, she was not god. Akoumi knew that very well with the many things he saw while traveling. The many screams she did not answer and the many things she couldn't do.

To see this orb again though… He couldn't help but think she was a goddess with her power and abilities… It was still amazing. And though she did not answer his own screams after he left her for his own life, it surprised him how she still influenced his life and guided him.

The Night Raid would grow stronger.

Tapping the side of the jar, he saw a familiar knob appear with a glow of light and upped the number '1' to '3'.

He was sure that his comrades wouldn't die or mind if he tripled the difficulty. And he was sure Najenda would still be able to relax… maybe…

"Alright, Akoumi, what did you do?"

One hour later, he found himself under the glares and grins of his comrades. Akame had a bright glint in her eye,

"Do it again!"

While Najenda who asked the question, glared with sand all over her hair, "I'm waiting."

Akoumi rolled his eyes as he tapped the side, introducing, "The knob of difficulty. It was on '1' and I thought that you would need at least triple the amount of monsters in the place for a challenge. Hence, '3'." He spoke slowly as if talking to a child, making Najenda glare as she pushed him in and upped the number to '9' as he shouted 'fuck', smirking vindictively,

"What a coincidence. I think you need triple the monsters as well." Then she left, muttering about crabs and desert Danger Beasts appearing out of nowhere in the sand and disturbing her rest. Akame grabbed Murasame and jumped in with Braht and Leone, who found the monsters fun. Tatsumi hesitated before retreating his hand,

"Nah, I'll probably die inside—" He lost his balance, shouting, "Mein!" as he fell in. The pinkette scoffed,

"Make up your mind, idiot."

She too left and Rabac eyed the orb before deciding that he didn't want to commit suicide either.

…

"So he died, huh…"

Akoumi listened to Tatsumi's mission report. Even training with more time wasn't enough huh… No… His eyes narrowed as he remembered his sister… His mother was fair. Neutrally fair. If he got something, then it was sure that it was because… she got something as well.

Those Three Beasts… If they were that strong, if the North expedition to defeat Numa Seika's army ended faster than everyone expected, then it was possible…

That she trained them as well.

The Revolutionary War just became that much harder, but he won't let Braht's death in vain.

…

Esdese eyed the gravestones. Once again, the people around her lost. Once again, they died and left her alone.

"River. Nyau. Daidara. You guys lost… which means you were just too weak." Esdese patted Nyau's cross, placing the roses on the middle headstone, "It's only natural for the weak to be eliminated… my weak subordinates." She knelt to her fallen men,

"You were so weak that I'll have to take vengeance on your enemies in your stead."

…

"It's the first time you went to the Capital hideout too, right, Akoumi?"

The redhead wore a long hooded coat for once, hiding his red hair, as he sat on the couch. He grumbled,

"Yeah. Leone dragged me here."

"Datte, it's such a waste if you don't come to the Capital in the open when everyone but us four can't!"

"Still, I shouldn't be here."

"Oh paranoia boy, I even gave you a hooded cloak so everything should be fine!"

Akoumi frowned, but didn't retort. Tatsumi wondered about his aversion to being revealed in public when no one knew him anyways, but said nothing about it. Akoumi listened as they talked about the new special police squad, the Jaegers led by Esdese herself. Rabac explained the dangers of the ice woman with an example to Tatsumi who lived on the countryside. Akoumi clenched his sword. She was dangerous, but he had always trained himself with her as the goal. Then, Rabac brought up the city wide tournament.

"Too many people. I'm leaving."

"No, no, no, you're coming with us, Akoumi~" Leone grinned, "It'll be fiiine."

Hours later, he found himself deadpanning as the woman walked on stage and collared Tatsumi up with a blush. He groaned as the images of Tatsumi's fate appeared in his head and he stood up, whispering,

"Act like you don't know me. I'll make sure Tatsumi's safe."

"Eh, A…" Leone glanced up, but was stopped by Rabac's strings as he gazed curiously at Akoumi, wondering what he was going to do. He still gaped at how Tatsumi was just chained up by Ice Queen fricking Esdese though. Right before, she knocked Tatsumi out, he spoke,

"You haven't changed at all, Esdese."

"..." Tatsumi's eyes widened while Esdese whipped around before widening her eyes as well at the familiar voice and then at the slowly falling hood that revealed that adorable spiky red hair and father's eyes.

"Akoumi!"

Esdese beamed as she glomped the taller redhead. Akoumi could feel his friends gaping, especially Tatsumi who was literally staring right up at them. Esdese checked his muscles out before patting his head and pouting,

"I'm supposed to be the older sibling! Why are you taller?"

"It can't be helped. I'm the man." Akoumi deadpanned as he examined her close up, "Not bad."

"Did my little brother suddenly become a pervert?" She teased before grabbing his hand, "Come on. We have a lot to catch up on — it's been eleven years since we last met! Oh, I just wish you came here with Narumi a year ago — you could have met my Three Beasts! Narumi whipped them up a bit."

"I knew it." Akoumi mentally frowned at the information, but smiled teasingly on the out, "They were too strong in the stories to be merely your subordinates~"

"I'll have you know that I'm the best teacher in the world — besides Narumi."

"Hahaha, you wish, Esdese. Besides, I've been meaning to ask as I traveled to the Capital." His eyes narrowed, "Did the Partas Clan die?"

Esdese tilted her hat down, "They did, but it's understandable. They were too weak. Father was too weak. I did mourn for them though."

"I see." Akoumi saw that coming as well, "Then Esdese's the type to be full of compassion yet always lacking mercy."

The woman beamed again, glomping him, "Narumi told me the same thing. As expected of family to always understand each other~! Now, come on! I'll show you around the Palace and Capital! It must be tiring, traveling around the world without stop."

"Not at all. It's quite refreshing to visit other places."

"How long are you staying?"

"Three days."

"Buu~" She pouted, "You're no fun. Narumi stayed for almost a year, you know! Then again, she only wanted to stay for a month. I know! I'll convince you like I did her!" Using puppy eyes, she asked, "Please?"

Akoumi chuckled, "Nice try. I think you're better off as the sadistic Ice Queen."

"You think so too? But I bet sadism won't work on you… After all, you spent years traveling with Narumi. Hm…" She held her chin in thought for another method before shrugging, "Ah, whatever. I'll find a way later. You're still coming with me though."

"And the kid? Did you fall in love with him?"

Esdese widened her eyes, "Mm! Everyone else were so surprised when I told them that I was looking for love. As expected of cute little Akoumi to be able to tell right away~" She smiled brilliantly as she ruffled his hair, "I'm so happy you're here. I bet you know some good tips!"

"Sure, first unleash him. Lovers aren't pets you know. And if you did it to declare that he's yours, then it'd be better to let him free to make a difference because I bet you played this game with others."

"Won't he run away?"

"Love has to be consensual… like mother's. If he runs away, then all you have to do is never give up and keep pursuing him. I'm sure our little Partas Princess can do that."

She blushed under his soft pats on her head before smacking his hand off, "I'm the big sister. Mou. Though I guess you're right. I really have no experience in love. Thanks, Akoumi~!"

"No problem." He said, watching as she undid the collar, letting Tatsumi free. Before Tatsumi could run away though, she grabbed his hand.

"Jya, let's go!"

He gave a short exasperated sigh, but followed her to the Palace. It was high time he scouted the place anyways. Though to think the moment he entered the Capital, he really would be discovered by his little sister.

…

"Akoumi's half sister was Esdese?!" Akame shouted in bewilderment! Mein shook her head as she gaped,

"Esdese fell in love with _Tatsumi_?!"

"Yes…" Both Leone and Rabac sweat-dropped, having not believed it when they saw it themselves. To think that… Yet it was actually pretty logical… Though still…

Rabac groaned, "I don't even know what to think of this development."

"At least Tatsumi's safe." Leone crossed her arms as she thought about it. There was no question that they weren't going to be betrayed so it didn't matter much. They were going to get information on the Palace as well so all was good. "This time, it was my fault. I took the both of them to the Capital. If anything happens to them, then it's my responsibility."

Mein knew what responsibility was when talking about death and spoke loudly, "Nothing's going to happen. Akoumi will make sure that Tatsumi's safe. Heck, Esdese loves Tatsumi so I bet she'll make sure that he's protected. And Akoumi can just walk out later using a traveling hobby as an excuse like his mother. It'll be only a matter of time until they come back home and both of them would rather die than join the Empire."

Because Tatsumi saw Braht die and Akoumi saw Schere… Akame nodded in agreement… though she realized,

"So Akoumi wants to kill Esdese then?"

All of them remembered his resolve to kill his half sister. Rabac nodded,

"What a messed up sister — no wonder why he wants to slay her. It's fricking Esdese."

"Though she seemed so happy and normal around him, don't you think?" Leone asked as she easily recalled the cheerful older sister. Heck, Akoumi even teased, argued, and poked her in public. She had the shivers when he did that to the renown sadist, but Esdese only took it in stride. "Amazing, overpowered family…"

"Aye." They all agreed.

…

Narumi sneezed as she played with her little three kids. Besides them, Sayo and Ieyasu killed Danger Beasts in the snow to give as food for the nearby poor villages.

"I wonder if Akoumi visited his older sister yet. Then again, he was afraid of her, right?"

…

Akoumi hummed as he walked through the hallways of the Palace. Once he was introduced to Emperor Makoto (who he thought of as a naive, dependent kid) and Great General Budou (who seemed to like his mother enough to grant amnesty to him, her son), he seemed to be allowed to go anywhere he want. He was already introduced to the Jaegers with Tatsumi — all of them surprised and amazed that Esdese had a 'secret' brother that no one knew about.

He wasn't sure what he thought of them really. Doctor Stylish apparently had the hots for him. Wave gave him a normal cheerful greeting as a person from a small village. Ran reminded him of his mother, who was best described as a teacher and parent if anything when she associated herself with people. Seryuu (who he had a hard time suffocating his anger for) downright admired him. And Bors… was a nice soldier who followed his orders no matter how horrifying they were. Bors was like them in a way.

Well, with the Tatsumi with the Jaegers, he didn't have to look at their strength at the Gyogan Lake mission they just received. Instead, he memorized his surroundings and formed simulations of break ins in his head. Still, the defense was beyond great.

…

"Captain, why didn't you try convincing your little brother to join the Jaegers?" Tatsumi's ears perked up as he realized that she could have. "He seems more than strong enough to wield a Teigu."

"People of his bloodline are better off free." Esdese easily answered, humming as she remembered why she always admired Narumi since the beginning.

"He's not your real brother?" Seryuu asked curiously, having thought of Akoumi as a really cool man of justice.

"Ah, he's my real brother. Our mothers are just different; the biggest difference is that his mother is strong." Esdese found herself grinning widely, "Narumi is the strongest person I've ever met — I have full confidence that she could defeat even me with just a pinky if she tried~" Those who knew the tales of the General gaped as they tried imagining the overwhelming power. They couldn't. It was just unfathomable. "Don't you think someone like that is better off being free?"

"But she could destroy all evil!" Seryuu shouted. Esdese merely smiled,

"However, if she does that, then what will you do? If she solved the world's problems, then what would we all do with our lives? Peace spoils so it's better to spoil peace." Esdese recited the sentence with a smile, "I admire her because she lets people become strong. She allows the strongest to survive and win, letting the weak perish if they fail to take the chances she offers them. She's teaches, she nurtures, she spreads freedom. She's the wind that gives us breath and allows us change."

They imagined the mother of the redhead. She sounded… beautiful. An ideal. A dream. But a beautiful one. Ran smiled especially at the teacher part.

"She sounds like a nice woman. I would love to meet her." He guessed it was fine if only the strong could win, if all his children with potential were given a chance. It wasn't a bad thought. His fists clenched. The clown didn't give his children a chance.

Seryuu nodded, "Mm! She gives me a chance to destroy evil and fight for justice~"

"How stylish to describe her as the wind~" The doctor beamed at the description Esdese had for her half-brother's mother. There really was style in stepping down for the new generation when one becomes too strong. After all, curbstomps weren't very pretty when done in great quantities.

Hearing this new description of the mysterious woman, he could see how Akoumi could love his mother so much even when she was neutral to even the Empire's corruption. She gave people a chance to grow and develop — to become independent… To become the best people they could be. And if there was no foe, then how would that happen. As horrible as it sounded… evil seemed… necessary. He thought back to the time he thought Sayo and Ieyasu died.

If he didn't see that, then… would he still be in the Night Raid, fighting and growing as an assassin?

The thought bewildered him.

…

Akoumi gazed at the half-naked Wave with amusement, watching as Kurome placed another stone on his kneeling legs as punishment for letting both Tatsumi and Incursio go. They still thought Braht was alive which was an advantage though he was worried about Doctor Stylish. It was likely that he was going to find out with how perceptive he was.

"Esdese, I'm going to tour the Capital a bit. I won't come back until much later."

"Hm? Alright." The woman replied as she too stood up to 'play' with Wave a bit more as his punishment.

He was lucky that the female was distracted, probably because of her love for Tatsumi.

…

"Akoumi! You're back!"

He grinned as he hugged Leone back and then gazed around, "Did Tatsumi tell his report yet?"

"Nope! You came back just in time." She smiled as they ran in. Tatsumi gave his report first and then Akoumi mapped out the Palace. The brunet gave him a sullen look,

"I know you had to spy and I was to spy, but did you really have to let Esdese toy with me?"

"Oh please, she loves you, Tatsumi. So did you understand yet? That she can't be converted?"

Tatsumi frowned and clenched his fists, "Well… maybe…"

"Oh, come on, Tatsumi, she's a hard core sadist!" Even Rabac had to shout though it may be because of his love for Najenda. The brunet frowned,

"She really liked your mother, Akoumi. She admires her a lot. Maybe—"

"Then, I'm sure she told you that my mother gives people chances and lets others make the decisions themselves. Esdese got the chance and she already made the decision."

"Why is she like that anyways? Why is she like that to the core then?"

"..." Akoumi stared at the stubborn Tatsumi, ignoring the stares of others as he sighed, rubbing his hair in annoyance, "We were from the Partas Clan in the North. It was a tribe that specializes in hunting Danger Beasts. Do you know that to get the most money, you had to gut the Danger Beasts alive? Core gems were only bright when retrieved that way. If anything, it was there where we learned that to survive, one had to be the strongest. If one died, then it was because they were too weak.

An Ultra Class Danger Beast ate her mother. No one blamed anyone. No one teared. It was simply because her mother was too weak. A man was stabbed and killed during practice. It happened simply because that man was too weak. My earliest memory was when I was three or four. My sister was learning her first sword strikes. My mother taught her a way to control her stab and she immediately tried it on me. The sword stopped a millimeter away from my head. My sister laughed it off. My mother praised her. They continued as if nothing happened. I felt fear. I was going to be erased — written off as just too weak and forgotten… They could kill me so easily. My own sister could kill me easily and if she did, then it would be because I was too weak. In that Clan, they cared about nothing else. Even her own father's last words were that he died because he was too weak. To her, it was ingrained within her since the beginning. She cares nothing about the feelings of the weak because the weak are nothing but just that."

Tatsumi flinched as he remembered her similar claim that she couldn't understand the weak. Just thinking about it was horrifying. A world where no one cared…

"That's what's wrong with this Empire. It's a nation that doesn't care for its own people. They can do anything they want because they are strong. They will do anything because of that while people like me live in fear and eventually die forgotten. No one is spared. And you can't convince them because they're just like that. Rotten to the core. They believe just as strongly as we do that they're right."

"...I understand." Tatsumi didn't. He didn't understand how people could just be like that. He never saw it before and Akoumi patted him on the head,

"It's alright if you don't. I don't want you to know or see what it feels like to lose your humanity."

"...Yeah."

Leone patted Akoumi on the shoulder, offering a smile of comfort. The redhead accepted it. Rabac wished Najenda was there to hear a part of Esdese's past; the general could sometimes discern the most random weaknesses from such little information. For now, he wrote in the notebook the new information of the Teigu and Palace that the two brought. Akoumi listened as Akame asked about her little sister and some discussion. When Mein spoke about the Perfector, Akoumi blinked,

"Ah!"

"What is it?"

"Doctor Stylish actually might find us."

"Impossible. We covered our tracks…"

"No, that's guy's perception is really good. He was actually suspicious of you Tatsumi from the beginning."

"Wait, really?! Why?!"

"You were too calm about your situation for a simple blacksmith."

"..." The brunet thought about it before hanging his head down, "You're right… Seeing Esdese and the Jaegers and not caring much…"

Leone laughed it off as she whacked him lightly on the back repeated, "It's alright. We get a chance to kill the Doctor alone~ And it's not like anyone has firsthand experience meeting Esdese so closely as a 'normal civilian'."

Mein sighed as she held her Pumpkin, "Then we're going to fight tonight?"

"Most likely. That's why I came back. He has a lot of experiments you know."

"Glad to know." Mein sighed once again at the long night coming for them.

…

"You're getting too used to this. It's kind of sad." She commented with a frown as the kids walked nonchalantly with many bags on their backs. They walked straight with great balance and perception, immediately knowing when a grain of rice fell and catching it without fail. Ieyasu and Sayo both grinned,

"We have to improve someday, you know~"

"Yeah and all children have to leave their parents someday as well." Narumi observed dully, "I guess it's time for you two to go on to the next level."

They beamed and she took out an old map of the Empire with Xs on them.

"I taught you two about the common history of Teigu and now it's time for you to know more about the secrets of Teigu."

"Secrets?" Ieyasu's eyes lit up, "Really?!" Any secrets about supernatural, already interesting things had to be interesting.

"Yes, things that even your friend and his affiliation doesn't know." Narumi was sure that the two were going to join the Revolutionary Army once they were done with their job contract so she guessed they might as well know this. "There are really 72 Teigu in existence."

Sayo and Ieyasu gasped; Sayo quickly asked, "Then what happened to the other 24?! How do people not know about them?"

"Because no one told anyone. This is a secret carried with the First Emperor and his three most trusted advisors and four of his most honorable inventors."

They gulped and unconsciously huddled closer, gazing at the map with 24 Xs.

"When the First Emperor first made the Teigu, he did it so that the Empire would be safe. Even he knew that there will eventually be a time when a civil war comes due to his future children's incompetence or corruption. Power is like that. Absolute power spoils the soul and corrupts the heart. If you never experienced any sadness or anything to connect with the common person and never had to, then why would you do it? If you were born rich, then would you care for the poor? It saddened him to think of it, but he considered all enemies, even those who are his future blood."

"Then… these Teigu… the reason why there is 24 is so that if the country was divided into two, then the people who he entrusted it with — the side he favored — would overpower the other and win?" Sayo slowly understood and light shed down on Ieyasu. Narumi nodded,

"He entrusted their locations with his foremost trusted advisor. His advisor didn't want to choose a side, but his advisor was the only one who could understand him and follow his will. His advisor was neutral, but the king wasn't and convinced his advisor to choose not out of her own heart, but his. Do you understand?"

"...You…" Sayo did and it didn't surprise them both that the girl understood it first, "You were the advisor."

"Impossible!" Ieyasu objected, "The Empire was founded 1000 years ago; there's no way—" His eyes fell onto the ancient map in her hands. The personality of the advisor in the story sounding so much like their own boss… and her youth. "You're immortal?"

"Yes. How is a secret. The fact that I am is a secret to the common people. Tell no one, but you will know that many do know because they find out their own way as well."

It all made sense.

"He chose you because you literally knew him and what he would have wanted. You wouldn't use the power yourself and you had no need to. He could trust you because you're… you."

"Yes." She once again simply confirmed, "And after watching you two for the past months," Well, she considered it months since the kids abused her dimension jar. The kids waited for her judgment not daring to breathe as the woman paused. Then, she smiled brilliantly, "I have decided that the King would have liked you two. Whatever you choose, I'm sure the King would have chose as well!"

They stared in amazement and felt themselves filled with so much amazement that a royal person would have liked them, simple country bumpkins. Never in their life would they have thought that something would have happened — that everything that they did in the past months would have actually occurred, but it did. They grew stronger. They wisened up. They saw many things no ordinary villager or even person would see.

"I never interrupted the civil war five centuries ago. I never cared about the Revolutionary War right now, but you two are my students and so I care about you. Whatever decision you make, I will support you. I'm—"

"Giving us a chance and the rest is up to us." Sayo and Ieyasu finished, having heard it so many times. Narumi nodded,

"Yes!"

She taught them and retaught them almost all they ever needed and so much more in so little time. She gave them so many opportunities and helped them save so many people, not just their poor village. Ieyasu bit his lip to stop the tears as he accepted,

"We won't let you down, Boss!"

Narumi beamed at her cute students, "Jya, you will do errands for me as per usual. Work to earn the money you make. But this time, you will also be doing things for yourself on your free time. Find people — comrades and friends that you can trust while find power that you can use. To change an Empire doesn't just mean to join a Revolutionary Army. There are three types of changes: change from within, destroy from within, and destroy from outside. Choose your method and devise your strategies and make your allies. You can lead or you can follow. And when you make these decisions, remember. What kind of Empire do you want to make? How do you want people to view you? Anew or changed? With fear or with awe? Think of everything like the First Emperor had. Even 1000 years into the future. Incorporate your studies into your thoughts and always innovate for the world, the future is everchanging."

"Yes!"

They began chatting to themselves with a new map; both of them writing locations and great areas for future battles and places to improve with public works projects and development. She gazed at them proudly. They really weren't her blood, but who said that you had to have her blood to be awesome?

She hummed as she pointed to her own map, "Our first location is this place. Finding the Teigu is up to you, but remember. No one knows about it except you and me. They can find out about the secret Teigu in your careless mistakes or they can take it by accident, not knowing what it is. It's all up to you to discover what you're looking for and how to retrieve it if you really want it."

"Ou!"

...

"So your half-sister is Esdese…" Najenda murmured as Akame reported everything that happened in her leave. Her Teigu and the other new assassin gazed at him in mild shock. Though with the things he heard about Chelsea, Akoumi could be sure that it was only deception.

"Yeah. Our Clan was wiped out so I guess it's up to me to finish the job."

"Did she defeat the North out of revenge?"

"...That could be part of the reason." Akoumi admitted before clenching his fist, "Though even if she was never born in the North, she would have still done it. You went with her to the South, Najenda. You know that she thrives on fights and screams. And it was the Empire's orders anyways."

Najenda nodded, "It couldn't be helped then. I hope you kill your sister then."

"Of course!"

Tatsumi gazed at them, still finding it weird that siblings were willingly going to kill each other. Weren't they supposed to love each other? Understand and be close to each other?

They arrived at Margue Plateau. Akoumi studied the area before jumping back on the Air Manta. He was going back to the Capital to see proceeds, officially leave, and check tracks to make sure nothing could be traced back anymore.

…

"This area…" Ieyasu murmured as he gazed around in awe, "There's no Danger Beasts!" His fists pumped in the air in his happy jig, "Ah," His eyes trailed down to see that he dropped his map… into the river, "NO!"

His knees and hands fell to the floor in defeat. They always told him that he had bad directional skills, but for this to happen… isn't it just bad luck?

"And Sayo isn't here too…"

The girl had always been with him since leaving the village. That time they split up to escape the bandits, she went with him to help him find the Capital — and he did, apparently faster than Tatsumi. Then, they were together when tortured, together in death, together in training. She always helped his idiot self.

Perhaps, that was why the woman separated them, sending the two to do far off jobs alone. She used the excuse of settling down for stability for her three babies, but perhaps this was the underneath of the underneath.

This was Chapter One of How Ieyasu-sama Became a Man.

His fists clenched as he stood back up,

"I got this! I don't need Sayo for something like stupid directions! I can do my first solo job alone! Now, I have to go—"

Once again, the spiky haired boy drooped in depression.

"I don't know where to go…"

"Are you alright, boy?"

Ieyasu's ears perked up at the sound of a reliable man as he teared in confession, "I'm lost…"

…

"AH, IEYASU!" Tatsumi shouted, "What the hell are you doing here?! Weren't you on Fake Mountain?!"

"Boss took us travelling and then gave us separate jobs to do alone and," Ieyasu sniffed as he still held Susanoo's fatherly kind hand, "I dropped my map and I got lost!"

Even Chelsea had no doubt that the boy was an idiot and someone who could be trusted… trusted only to not be an Empire spy. Tatsumi sweatdropped while Akame and Leone poked him,

"You're the kid who had the Luboras Disease, right? So you really were still alive…"

"Wait!" The lollipop fell as Chelsea shouted, "He had Luboras Disease before?! Don't you die in six hours with that thing?! Incurable too?!" She backed away from the 'ill' boy. Ieyasu beamed,

"Boss saved me~"

Leone tilted her head, "Ah, I forgot to ask Tatsumi, but weren't you dead? So how did your boss save you?"

Ieyasu accepted a cup of tea from Susanoo, sitting down on the couch and relaxing from his predicament, "It's against my contract to tell you the details, but—"

"If you have a strong will, then your 'soul' can still be alive after having a dead body. However, it will only remain for a short time before being engulfed in darkness and passing on."

"!" Ieyasu jumped, grabbing his axe, "How did you know?!"

"My mother…" Akoumi gazed at the kid as he changed his approach, "Narumi told me."

"Boss…"

"So I was right, huh? Kurama is Narumi. And she's taking on two new students in the Empire." The redhead grabbed Ieyasu's hand, feeling the muscles underneath his clothing, "Not bad. Are you two remaining neutral like her?"

Ieyasu dropped his guard, placing his axe across his back again as he determinedly said, "Me and Sayo have a two year contract with her. We're going to defeat the Empire as our own group after."

"...I see." Akoumi smiled as he patted the kid on the head, "That's good news to hear."

Mein scoffed after the surprise that their strongest's mother was teaching the idiot, "You should just join the Revolutionary Army. Two kids can't do anything."

"Two can't, but we'll be 24 after we find comrades. And if we're joining the Revolutionary Army, then we want to see the head of it ourselves."

"Don't be cocky, brat—"

"We'll be strong. And we'll be our own people. If we're joining someone, then we want to know them personally."

Chelsea laughed at the resolve of the idiotic brat, "So you'll be strong? Do you have Teigus? A group of Teigu Users to combat the Teigu Users in the Capital? If you don't, then we don't need you anyways."

Ieyasu opened his mouth before catching himself. Then, he gazed at Akoumi and Tatsumi with thoughtful eyes. Both glanced back curiously. All did after a while because it became obvious that he had an answer to that, but couldn't say it or was trying to see if they were trustworthy enough to know it. Finally, he spoke,

"I want a map of the Empire. If you give me a map, then I'll tell you how many Teigus we have or will have by the end of the year."

Their eyes widened and Najenda gestured to Akame, who gave him his map. Ieyasu peered at it,

"24." Most of them shouted or stood up at the number; Ieyasu grinned, "We have seven of them already, but the thing is… When the First Emperor had them made, he considered civil wars and evil children before. That's why there's really 72 Teigus in existence — 24 secret ones that could be found by those who he would have favored. 24 to overpower one side into beating the other. That's the kind of Emperor we want. Someone who can think of extending peace so far into the future." Ieyasu hummed as he took out his compass, "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a job to do for Boss. We deliver bags of rice across the Empire in timely fashion."

"Wait." Chelsea smiled brilliantly as she held a needle to his neck, "After hearing such delicious news, I'm afraid I can't let you go."

"Let him." Najenda ordered, cupping her chin with a hand. Chelsea seemed to want to protest, but the former general added, "Akoumi, go with him to… deliver rice. Show him to Headquarters."

"Alright." The redhead patted the kid's shoulder, releasing the tension inside as the boy was about to kill Chelsea in response to her threat. His mother really never cut corners when training people. Even though she probably done it countless times. Before Ieyasu could say anything, he teased, "And looks like you need it, dude, if you got lost so easily."

Ieyasu pouted with a grumble, "It's not my fault. The world's a maze."

"Hai, hai." Tatsumi stood up,

"Wait! I'll come too!"

"No, we can only send one person out with how shorthand we are." Najenda reasoned, "It's best if Akoumi goes. He knows where Headquarters are and the big boss that Ieyasu and his friend wants to see." She added, "And he knows his mother."

Tatsumi frowned and Akame patted his shoulder as Akoumi left with a wave. Chelsea plopped back on her couch, sucking a lollipop,

"Surprised me there. That there were really 72…"

Mein nodded, agreeing with the orange-head for once, "More hope for the Revolution."

"Though something tells me that it's not that easy." All of them sighed.

…

Sayo panted as she ran and ran, her hands white as she clenched the blanket tightly onto her being. They were the only thing covering her from the icy snow and hail that pestered her, driving pain into her already large gashes. She cried when she finally saw the cottage and dashed in,

"Boss! Boss… I'm so sorry… I lost… I lost…"

It wasn't just a fight that she lost. It wasn't just her resolve that she lost.

She lost the map.

The original map containing the location of all the secret Teigu.

She lost it.

…

"Damn, the bitch escaped! No one say a thing about this to Shura!"

Enshin rubbed his head after calming down though he still felt the urge to kill someone, perhaps one of his pirates. Damn, she was a strong beauty as well… He blinked as he saw an old paper flapping in the bitch's clothes. His grin stretched when he saw crosses on many places. As a pirate, he knew it could mean one thing.

"Treasure."


	6. Chapter 6

"Narumi… Long time no see," Akoumi smiled as he saw his beautiful mother once again. His eyes caught three babies in a crib near her and he couldn't help but find a chuckle in him, "Did you spoil a friend again?"

Narumi hugged her son as she found mirth bubbling in her as well, "Actually, yes." Then, her eyes widened as she remembered and gazed to the side to Ieyasu, "Sayo's back. You should go see her, Ieyasu."

Ieyasu's eyes darkened with fear at the solemn tone as he ran to her room to see… "Who did this? Who did this to you? WHO DID THIS TO YOU?!"

A shout or perhaps even a scream filled the cottage, awakening the babies into loud cries. Akoumi immediately feared the worst as he remembered that Tatsumi's friend was the boy and the intellect-appearing girl. If they knew the location of the 24 secret Teigu, then… it was likely that the girl had the map. If Ieyasu was asking such a question in anger, then… it was likely that it was taken. His gloved hand immediately pushed back his red hair as he leaned against the wall, looking down,

"It's never that easy, huh…"

Narumi knowingly agreed, calming her children, "Never."

…

"What'd he say, Najenda?" All paid attention when they saw a Stymphalian give a letter to Najenda. Akoumi's personnel trained Bird-Type Danger Beast. Najenda sighed,

"He won't be coming back for a while. Your friend had an encounter with the Shura's Guards and the map has fallen into the enemy's hands." Eyeing Tatsumi, who punched the wall in worry and frustration, she added, "Luckily, your friend survived and the man doesn't know what the map is for. Probably would think it's treasure."

"But the Empire still has it." Chelsea narrowed her eyes, crunching her lollipop, "What useles—"

"Shut up." Tatsumi growled, "Sayo is not useless. She's strong and she—"

"Failed." The orange-haired assassin completed. It was such a horrible word that meant that they were in great danger. Najenda crumpled the paper as she watched the two warily in case of a fight though hid it in her nonchalant position,

"With this, however, we know that Shura's back in the Empire and he brought some friends with him."

Akame nodded as she added with her hand on her sword, "And it doesn't matter if they collect it. We'll still take them in the end."

Tatsumi clenched his fist before calming with a nod as well. He'll avenge Sayo and kill them. "Who is Shura anyways?"

Rabac answered with a frown, "The despicable son of the Prime Minister who rapes girls. He's strong though and he probably got stronger after travelling the world. If he brought friends, then they're probably strong people from other countries. World class talents."

Mein held her Pumpkin, "We're in a pinch for sure."

"Akoumi's going to help the two get all the Teigu before they're found and taken by the Empire. After that, he'll go directly to the Head. If you consider how he might be drafted to another team, there's no guarantee when or even that he'll come back."

The seven 'people' sat in silence at Najenda's words. Chelsea found it a pity since he was the strongest of the team, but that was how life worked. They'll all survive and win against the Capital though.

…

"Sorry, Ieyasu… I can't… Even when Boss taught me, I'm still so weak!"

"...Idiot!" He shouted and slapped her for once in his life, growling as he stood up tall, "We're only children, Sayo. Of course, we're weak now. Of course, we make mistakes — we're so pathetic… but that doesn't mean we can't grow, that we can't learn from our mistakes, that we can't have a use. You aren't the only one suffering, Sayo! Remember why we're doing this?!"

Her eyes widened as she remembered, "To save the world, but more importantly to save our village… So no one could suffer like us…" Tears fell out as she hugged Ieyasu, "Ieyasu! I want to be strong! I want to grow stronger and stronger and stronger — I want to protect everyone and I want to win!"

"Me too…" He breathed into her hair, smelling the native flowers of their home. His eyes closed as he hugged her tighter to his chest, "Me too, Sayo. So for now, we can never give up. Nothing will ever end as long as we're alive. Remember Sayo. Our resolve is the most important thing."

"Mm…"

Akoumi moved from the door. Looks like he didn't have to do anything. They were a good pair. Now, all he had to do was…

"You remember the last locations of the Teigus, don't you, Mother?"

"I do."

He unrolled a map of the Empire, "Tell me them."

"I won't."

"Mother, this isn't a joke! The Empire's corrupted — you hear screams everyday yet you do nothing—"

She smiled softly, "It hurts me that Esdese understands me more than you."

"Wha…?" Akoumi couldn't think for a while as the words mindlessly, soundlessly echoed in his head.

"I'm not a Goddess, Akoumi. I'm not the world. And you can even think of me as not a human. I can't give you everything or listen to only the screams of one side."

"...Mo…"

"If it's the locations you want, then I have them, Akoumi. Here in my head." He turned to see both children — no, teens. Strong teens with strong hearts and strong wills standing at the hallway. Sayo grabbed a pen and marked all the places that should still have the secret Teigus. She circled an X, "This one's probably already taken since that's where I met him. He's a pirate and a Teigu User that called himself Enshin. He works for Shura. The Teigu will probably move. The map that Enshin has now shows the current location of all of them so it'll be more accurate. We probably need to move as well since seven of them are in this one spot."

"No…" Narumi smiled, "The crosses will overlap to look like one so it'll be fine. He won't know better if you just take the map back. And then…" She took a deep breath as she decided, "Everything after that will be up to you. It's already been two magnificent years with you, Sayo, Ieyasu. It's time for you to leave for your goals."

"It hasn't even been one though…"

"No," She shook her head, gesturing to the jar with a hand, "It's been two. I will consider your contract up as of tomorrow. After that, it's all up to you to decide what to do with your life. Believe in yourself and if you can't, then believe in me who believes in you."

"...or both. Thank you Boss for the best two years of my life. I'll miss you." Ieyasu grinned as he glomped his Boss. Sayo joined, hugging her tightly. Akoumi watched distantly as he wondered, as he clenched his Teigu… the sword that she gave him. What has he been doing with his life? There was just something wrong… And for once, he didn't think it was the Empire or even his sister.

There was something wrong…

…

Tatsumi held his knees as he finally understood. He had the same feeling that they would meet again, but he now plainly understood that it was impossible to convince her.

Which is why the next time he and Esdese meet, it'll be as enemies.

…

"So Enshin is here." Ieyasu cracked his knuckles. Akoumi gazed at the kids, but decided for once to do nothing as well. This was their fight. He…

"I have to let them go someday, huh."

His hand touched his left shoulder and he could feel Schere's face — a kind smile as ever as she left with an ephemeral grace. Tatsumi and Mein… his own past… He had to let go over them some day. He had to move on and stop obsessing.

"What did you say, Akoumi?" Sayo politely asked having not caught his words.

The redhead stood back and sat on the cliff they were on; the cliff hung over the pirate ship holding the strong world famous pirate that roamed the seas.

"Enshin is your target — both of yours. If you can't defeat this pirate, then you won't be able to defeat anyone back at the Capital. This is your test against a Teigu User. This will be your first true battle as independent adults. I will wait here until I need to step in. Until then… Fight free."

The two teen's eyes lit up as they nodded eagerly. Sayo drew out an arrow as she smiled,

"You won't need to even take a step, Akoumi. We got this."

"Because we can't be always losing." Ieyasu took out his heavy battle axe. Akoumi idly remembered the double bladed axe that one of the Three Beasts once owned. That Teigu called Belvaac would be perfect for the boy.

They fell… no, they jumped off the cliff into their first great battle.

"Power is not a way, but an end. To gain power, one has to suffer through many obstacles. To gain power, one has to be weak and taught to be strong. But one can not be strong with power." Akoumi held his head as he laughed, "Esdese… Narumi… The Empire. The Empire. That is what's wrong. The Empire takes power for granted and is an end. It will not change unless a new power takes hold of it. That's why it corrupts. There is nothing else for it to do and grow…" Then, Akoumi remembered his older sister, "Esdese." He had always been afraid of her. He had always saw her as a goal… but if he had just. No, he could. Because Esdese wasn't his mother. She wasn't the strongest. She wasn't inhuman… "To think Tatsumi was right. Esdese… could be changed."

But only time would tell because there were always insecurities.

For now, though, he felt peace in his heart.

He was not afraid.

Not anymore.

…

"What?! That Enshin was killed?!"

There were more curses and shouts as Shura growled and paced the room. The Wild Hunt members watched him while in their own thoughts. They all wondered who killed that strong pirate and Cosmina was even sad that the muscular hulk was gone. She liked him… or at least his body, that is.

Then, a seabird tapped the window and they all recognized it to be Enshin's. Shura read the note, finally scoffing in amusement,

"Going to look for treasure, but already dead. You're late, bird!" The dark-skinned man killed the bird before gazing in wonder at the map where Enshin drew crosses… "I wonder… It's not time to go back home to the old man yet so perhaps we should visit these places for fun ourselves?"

They all gained grins, finding it a lot more interesting than just waiting.

Besides, this treasure was good enough to risk life over if Enshin died while finding it.

…

"So we will have more Teigus?"

Akoumi nodded in confirmation before the Head of the Revolutionary Army — the one who started it all. Ieyasu and Sayo peered at him, not sensing any bad intention. They exchanged looks before nodding, knowing that they wouldn't mind having him as a leader. With no jobs, they needed a way to make money as well.

"We'll help you."

"Thank you, Ieyasu, Sayo. Welcome to the Revolutionary Army. You may know me as the Head, but my name is—"

…

"!" Esdese's ears perked and she gazed up from the map, beaming at the familiar sight, "Narumi! Oiiii, Narumi~!"

The Jaegers looked up to see a beautiful teen with long red hair and exotic purple eyes. The woman gazed to the side before blinking, but coming over with a smile,

"Oh, Esdese! What a coincidence. What are you doing here on Romari Road?"

"Just a job." Esdese answered before she glomped the girl, grinning, "Still so small — Akoumi actually grew taller than me~!"

"He did? Looks like you aren't the big sister anymore~" She teased, making Esdese pout and huff,

"I'll always be the big sister. Speaking of which, want some?" The blue haired woman offered her crepe and Narumi bit into it with a smile,

"Not bad. Sweet and icy~"

"Right?" Esdese smiled as well. Wave sweatdropped,

"So who's this? Another relative of yours? There seems to be many…" For a woman who they never heard the past of by anyone else, these relatives seemed to be appearing out of nowhere. Plus, she felt… weak. This one wasn't like the male redhead who had visible muscles and a big frame. This girl felt like a girl. Not even at Seryuu's level. No hidden muscles, no nothing.

The redhead bowed politely, "My name is Narumi. I'm like Esdese's…"

"Teacher!" Esdese beamed, slinging an arm around the smaller, more young-appearing woman, "This one's Akoumi's mother. Don't be fooled by her appearances. She's really strong!"

"EH?!" They shouted; each of them having imagined a middle-aged female juggernaut when Esdese said that she could be beaten by a pinky.

"And you are?"

"The group I formed — I'm sure you heard about them, the Jaegers." Esdese happily introduced as she introduced each member; each of them giving a polite nod of their heads or bow. The redhead studied them all making even Kurome a bit nervous under the intense stare. Then, she gave them a brilliant smile, patting each of them even Bors on the head,

"Mm! They're a good team, Esdese! Each of them have a good heart. May good luck favor the hearts of the strongest and the wills of the brave; let your beliefs never fade."

Esdese tilted her hat down at the praise, happy for her subordinates who she could all clearly see had felt warmth from the genuine words. "Thanks. You should visit the Capital again one day. Bors has a cute family."

"Aw, you're so nice," The masked man blushed as he sheepishly rubbed his clothed head. Narumi nodded,

"I will visit later then."

Esdese immediately and very seriously patted her shoulder, "You're so much more easier to convince than Akoumi. That boy only stayed for three days. He used to be so cute~"

"Hahaha, what can I say? He's my son~" She used to be like that as well — long before she thought immortality was even possible. "Then, I guess I'll be leaving for now. I'm sure you're all busy though if you're gathered here outside of the Capital."

"Yes." The Ice Queen dipped her head in confirmation, "See you later then."

Narumi waved before leaving. Seryuu smiled brightly immediately after watching her new idol leave,

"As expected of Captain's teacher! She's beautiful and kind!"

That took the words out of all of them as they stayed in a bashful setting before talking about more serious things like the Night Raid. Kurome, Wave, and Bors were going to go after Akame while the others follow Najenda.

…

Later, Narumi sighed as she saw him by the campfire among darkness.

"So you died."

"...Narumi?"

"Yes." She replied as she walked over, sitting next to him on the same log. He glanced at her and then himself, burying his head in his hands,

"This is permanent, isn't it? I… I won't be able to go back, right?"

"You won't." She lied smoothly. It was times like these when she knew that she changed more than just physically. Over the years, she slowly began to understand as well. But she knew. And she couldn't lie to herself. She had already invested in her two students.

Bors gazed at her, "Then did you?"

"No. I'm dreaming right now. I will eventually wake up and I will still be alive. I know though that eventually the darkness will engulf you and you will move on to a hopefully better life." She gazed at the campfire, "That light is your will. It's a beautiful resolute light."

"...Will I remember anything after darkness?"

"I don't know." She admitted. She never died before. A close thing, but never. It made her lonely, especially when she knew that all her friends were away already. Long, long, far, far from her grasp. "But you can stay… If you don't let the darkness approach, then you can wait until you see your family again. That's all I can guarantee."

Tears fell down as he held her gentle hand, "Esdese said you were strong. Can you protect them? My family? Can you protect them for me? I don't mind waiting a long time, but make them happy and live long lives please. Don't ever let them die like the villages I burned down — never for something they didn't do. They don't deserve that."

Narumi smiled solemnly as she remembered Sakumo waiting long years for his son as well. She nodded and promised for this she could do,

"I will protect them. What they do with their lives is up to them, but I will make sure that they live their natural lifespan."

"Thank you. Thank you so much. You really are a kind woman… I—"

She blinked and found herself with another lonely soul. She didn't recognize this one, but her soul was just as solemn and wanting as well. Sitting down next to the light red-orange haired girl, she was about to speak when the other spoke first,

"You must be Akoumi's mother, Narumi."

"My, my, this is a surprise. Everyone keeps recognizing me."

"...you didn't revive Bors, did you?" Chelsea frowned, making Narumi shake her head,

"No." She took a lollipop from the Teigu nearby and popped it in her mouth. It seemed that Rubicante was destroyed as well. Two Teigus destroyed…

"Good. He may have been a good father and a good man, but…"

"He was your enemy and a threat. I understand. The people on both sides of the war are always just people."

"...You're not going to heal me either." Chelsea noted. Narumi's brow arched in amusement,

"Now, you, I can't. If you weren't just a head, then I could have regrew a limb or four. I could have cured you of disease or even heal all your bones. I could have sewed your body together. But you're missing everything. If I revived you, then you would have been an old weakly woman from all the energy used up. And you wouldn't want that, would you?"

"I can't even imagine it!" Chelsea laughed as she finally could eat a lollipop, "It's all cool then. I knew that I would one day die. The only thing I regret is not being able to see them again. But they're safe so… it's alright. Braht and Schere… Both of them really weren't failures as killers… I too have grown soft. And it feels good."

She embraced the darkness.

Narumi woke up, hating how she couldn't feel tears. There were more kills of people everywhere. These two direct fighters weren't the only ones. She gazed at her children, packing up her things. Once again, she was moving to the Capital.

"..."

Narumi stopped as she remembered hearing of the religious organization nearby. In Kyoroch, wasn't it…?

"I guess it wouldn't hurt to see just who the charismatic leader is."

Using chakra, she made wooden shadow clones, changing them to appear like cats. Bors's family could wait. With Night Raid and Jaegers both out of the Capital, there shouldn't be much threats.

…

"Excuse me, miss, but you're incredible."

"...Why thank you." Narumi blinked as she gazed up to see the person in the newspapers. She gazed at him and sensed nature. "And you are too. You're part _that_, aren't you?"

"!" The Founder's eyes widened in amazement, "You can tell? Then again, you're similar. May we talk in a private setting?"

The redhead gazed up with amusement. So it wasn't wrong to visit him. She nodded, "Sure. I don't mind. You already got me interested in your past."

"Same!" He replied jovially. She could tell that his guards were a bit apprehensive, but it amazed her how much trust they had in his trust of character.

Then came an interesting discussion about half-beasts and sages and the natural world. They were two existences that shouldn't exist. They were two existences who knew more than everyone else about fate and natural order and emotions.

"You know… You're actually more trusting than I thought. Some of your leaders passed by while we were drinking and they're pretty damn corrupt."

"Please don't say that about my leaders. It is because of them that our organization can grow so large and I can do more than heal the people in front of me."

"..." She smiled, knocking him on in the head with the back of her fist as she drank straight from the bottle. "Never change. It's people like you who should stay in the world."

"Thanks. Though I think everyone deserves a chance."

Remembering her 'dobe' days, she murmured, "Don't I know that better than anyone." Because even she surprised herself with how she turned from deadlast to war hero suppressing the Jyuubi. "Hey, I like you so I'll give you a charm."

"Hm?"

"Power. I'll give you more power to protect people."

"...even more than just heal?"

Narumi nodded, "Even more than just heal. I'll give you the greatest defense so that even if you trust everyone, no one would get hurt."

"...I'll accept it with honor, Miss Narumi." The leader bowed politely and she smiled as she transferred a portion of her power. It was only a small portion compared to the amount within her body, but it was a monstrous portion compared to anyone else. The leader knew it as well as he felt it thrive through his veins, that feeling of power. Yet unlike humans, he didn't corrupt as he only thought for the people. A nice kid. "Thank you. Miss Narumi. Yours is truly a great power. Not given to you by a beast, but literally the world itself."

"I sometimes wish that I thought of it that way."

"Miss…"

"Then I realize that many times I do! Don't demean your power, kid. It's great as well. While many destroy, you heal! That's the greatest blessing in the world. To know that there is less darkness."

"..." He smiled and nodded. "Then I better start doing more for my people now that I can. Will you be staying overnight?"

"No. I'm planning to head over to the Capital. Best of luck to you."

"And you." He completed before walking away. She did as well, taking another bottle.

…

Akoumi breathed out in relaxation. Having left the Empire and then only come back to stay near the Capital, he almost forgot how the Empire felt like outside of the Capital. Now, he felt less distant and alienated as he camped with the brats. They had collected another three so far; the Teigu really being secret and hard to find. The only clue was that they were ancient and that the First Emperor's own emblem appeared somewhere on all of them.

He remembered that the Empire was his home and origin with these travels and felt even more of a need to fight for it. The two brats were like his own little siblings as well as they traveled together this time to find the treasures together.

They still had a long way to go before they collected them all though…

At least this time, all three had Teigu though. Belvaac was tied to Ieyasu's back and Spectator evolved into a flower ornament for Sayo when the girl touched it. The lantern bulb that could now peel back its petals to reveal the eye replaced Sayo's original hair pin. Thus, all Teigu they found were immediately sent to Headquarters by his Danger Beast pet.

"Out here, it's easy to forget that people are suffering and the Empire needs to be destroyed, right?"

"...yeah." He and Sayo answered as they stared up at the stars.

They still had a big job ahead of them.

…

Three months after Borick's assassination… With Borick's death causing his influence to vanish, the Path of Peace was finally able to orchestrate an armed uprising. Believing that fighting against the Empire that oppresses its own people was their calling, they assaulted the government offices that imposed heavy taxes and the storehouses of the landlords. Although the Great Lord wanted to avoid bloodshed, understanding that land and food were needed to sustain the massive number of followers, he agreed to the rationale of the religious group's leaders.

Many of the citizens oppressed by the Empire also rose up in response to the uprising. The Revolution spread throughout the Empire. Simultaneously, the Western Nation's massive army began an invasion as if it had been waiting for that precise moment. The inexperienced military of the Empire suffered one defeat after another, and allowed the nation's army to penetrate deep into the Empire's territory. And thus, the Empire found itself with many problems on its hands…

…

"Yo! It took us awhile, Captain, but we're here~!"

"Pat…" Najenda stared at the woman who gave her the mechanical arm. The woman had followed her to the Revolutionary Army with Rabac that day and survived with the few… The woman beamed as she revealed her golden gloves,

"Ehehe, you'll be patched up in no time by Master Pat herself!"

"The Perfector!" Akame shouted in recognition.

"Yup~!"

Ieyasu and Sayo peeked into the tent as well with Akoumi behind them. The redhead grinned,

"Sorry, it took so long, but we came back."

Leone, Najenda, and Akame froze at the sight of their trusted comrade — the strong man who trained them before and Leone was the first to run and tackle him with a hug,

"What took you so long, idiot?!"

And then everything didn't seem so bleak.

…

"So you got a girlfriend, Tatsumi?" Ieyasu asked interestedly, "Nice job!"

The brunet sheepishly rubbed his head with a blush. Mein as well blushed at the looks from her new boyfriend's friends. Akoumi seemed surprised at first before patting both of them on the head,

"Congratulations."

"Thanks, Akoumi."

Finally, Najenda coughed, "So now that we're all gathered, let's hear your report, Akoumi. I'm sure the Revolutionary Army already told you what happened to us."

Akoumi nodded though a bit disheartened that the newbies already… left. He only knew them for a month too. But he summarized,

"We got 17 of the 24 secret Teigu. All of them are accounted for and sent to Headquarters. I also sent them the dimension jar. And—"

"Wait! What about the other 7?!" Tatsumi shouted, making Akoumi sigh,

"Let me finish. The other seven were taken by Shura. Enshin must have sent him a map before we killed him and took the original back."

Sayo looked down, "Sorry…"

"It's alright." Akoumi reminded her; Ieyasu patted her on the shoulder. "You did the best you could against a Teigu User without one."

Tatsumi felt reminded of his own first failure that cause Braht's death. They could barely do anything against a Teigu User without a Teigu. Leone cheered up the atmosphere,

"So we got reinforcements again and a real doctor — I say we should celebrate!"

"A real doctor?!" Mein, Tatsumi, and Rabac shouted, making Pat wave a hand,

"Yo~! I'm Pat!"

"PAT!" Rabac shouted, remembering the woman from his army days. Pat grinned as she accepted a hug until he tried to steal a grope.

Everyone laughed and things went back to normal even if it was just a bit. The roundtrip back home was almost finished with old and new allies.

…

"Ah, who's your little friend, Ai?"

"Nami!" Ai smiled as she glomped the redhead with purple eyes. "She defended daddy and me at school when the bullies called daddy a murderer. I mean, he is… but…"

"He did it to save people. And he loved his family" Nami huffed, "so he's a good guy!"

"Mm!" Ai smiled brilliantly while her mother gave a soft smile herself as she patted her daughter's new friend. Wave too felt great gratitude that someone cared for Bors even when not knowing him. It was great to know that others loved the shy but kind man as well. Wave gazed at the girl, who he swore reminded him of Narumi with her grace and calmness despite it all, before finishing his conversation,

"I see… Please don't hesitate to reach out to us if you ever need anything." Just as the three were going to leave together again as they had been doing for four months. Wave spoke, "Oh, and one more thing. Please don't go near the Capital no matter what. There's a crazy group that's causing chaos."

Nami's eyes narrowed as she remembered that Shura who's man hurt her student was in the city. But she left with Ai, striking up a new conversation about school to take the innocent girl's mind off his cryptic words. She promised that she wasn't going to let them die. Even if her own children got the Kage Bunshin treatment for now.

…

"Thank you, Nami, for all that you helped us with."

"It's no biggie, Saya. Ai's my friend!" Ai giggled when Nami shadow fought a person, "And if someone ever tries to hurt you, then I'll hurt them instead! As a favor to Ai's daddy for saving the Capital."

Saya's lips curled, "Oh? Nami can defeat bad guys now?"

"Of course! Nami's a big strong girl!"

They laughed, making her pout until the beautiful woman with long hair tied the locks back, "Alright, then. I better cook something to strengthen my strong girls now then. Who's up for pasta?!"

"Me!" Both little girls shouted.

…

"Oho… What a surprise." Nami kept her eyes closed, but she tensed as her hands remained in prayer. She could hear footsteps and people approaching. "The beautiful widow that never misses a cemetery visit. Just like the rumors said."

"Going to the outskirts like this every once in a while isn't so bad, huh?"

Saya spoke, "Um… Can… I… help you, sir?"

Nami almost would have snorted at the question of many meanings. Especially when the first guy spoke,

"Yeah." Arrogantly, "I'm designating you as my new toy."

"You should feel honored. The son of the prime minister has laid his eyes upon you!"

That's when her eyes opened, gazing to see three. Men, of course. She presumed the guy who acted as the king of the world was Shura, the prime minister's son. The guy next to him had a secret Teigu so she guessed that he must have been new to the group. He wore little, showing off his abs. The last was a fat clown. She really had to wonder about their fashion.

"There's no honor in the rumors around you so it matters not if the son of the prime minister himself lays his eyes on us. Go away. This is sacred ground." Nami spoke mildly, tugging the dresses of the females next to her, "Don't worry about them. Your daddy won't let anyone harm you near them."

"Bu—"

"You two are so fucking cute!" The clown shouted as he ran towards them, but crashed into an invisible wall. She smirked. None of their Teigu would work against her pure power. Ai and Saya stared before them in wonder, not understanding what just happened. The little redhead just smiled,

"See~? Just ignore them. Your daddy's a hero even after death!"

Shura seemed to growl with anger at her cheekiness, but frowned as he tapped the invisible thing that Champ crashed into. His eyes studied it in curiosity, having never seen such a thing before even in his travels and seeing no Teigu on the girls.

"Jackal."

The man with the secret Teigu punched the barrier with all his might, but failed. Instead, he shrieked with pain as his arm broke as if he punched an orichalum wall with pure force. Ai watched with awe,

"Daddy's really awesome, mommy!"

"Yeah…" Saya could only say in breathless relief that they weren't going to be harmed. She couldn't understand the barrier thing, but if someone was protecting them, then she could only thank them with all her heart. The long haired woman knew that her husband didn't have such an ability, but it was nice thinking of the miracle as that way. She nodded more firmly, "Yeah."

More things were tried with the men only making fools out of themselves before they angrily left. Wave ran up to them later, panting,

"I heard that Wild Hunt came. Are you three alright?!"

While Saya's reply was of faint wonder, Ai was loud in shouting, "Yeah! Daddy saved us, Wave! Daddy saved us!"

"Bors?"

"Yeah. He…"

Nami only smiled as she heard the child's rendition of it before she gazed at the two. It seemed like Wave was thinking of the same as he insisted,

"You three should move away from the Capital this instant! He really is the Prime Minister's son and anything — even things worse than death — can happen to you now! You're lucky that you managed to escape his investigations, but there's no telling if this miracle thing will happen the next time. Bors would have wanted you three to stay alive and happy instead of dead over his grave."

Saya agreed after having seen the three men's determination to do bad things to them. It wasn't safe anymore. And it scared her that her child could have been… raped and killed like the public executions around the Capital. She gazed at the little gravestone softly, hugging it and apologizing,

"We'll visit when things calm down again. I love you, Bors."

And they left again for the last time in what will be a long time.

…

"Eh? You're not coming with us, Nami?"

Nami shook her head, "I have to stay here near the Capital with my grandma… The mean men won't know where to find me without my name though so it'll be alright. Make new friends and be happy, kay, Ai?"

"But I don't want new friends! I want you!" Ai teared. Nami smiled, but shook her head,

"Bors would have wanted you to be happy. I can't come with you so it's up to you to find that happiness with others. I know they'll love you. There's everything to love about Ai!"

"..." The girl looked sullen, but nodded, wiping her tears and hugging her only friend, "We'll meet each other again though, right?"

"Mm, we will! And we'll always be together until then!" She brought out a necklace to give to her, "See? I got you something to always remind you of me when you're alone!"

"Wah, it's so pretty!" The hug became tighter, "I love you, Nami…"

"Me too…" And Nami hugged back, watching as the two left after she gave a different necklace to Saya for a similar reason. Saya accepted with a smile, hugging the girl as well.

Nami changed back once she was sure that no one was watching. It was time to keep a low profile now.

It was time for the Empire's move; the winds were changing, revolving around Wild Hunt first so it seemed.

…


End file.
